TRANSPORT

Airport Security (Northern Ireland)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents regarded as sufficiently serious to be investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority occurred during 2005 involving aircraft at (a) Belfast International, (b) Belfast City and (c) Londonderry airports.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 24 April 2006
	During 2005 the Civil Aviation Authority investigated 23 incidents at Belfast International airport, 18 incidents at Belfast City airport and two incidents at Londonderry airport.

Bicycle Transportation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the rail companies to seek agreed policies on the transportation of bikes on trains.

Derek Twigg: As part of our ongoing commitment to bike and rail journeys I am discussing with our advisory body on cycling, Cycling England, how we might further encourage such journeys and will be reviewing this issue with the TOCs later this year.
	In addition, the franchise replacement process provides an opportunity to improve cycle facilities at stations, and to address the requirements of cyclists who wish to use trains. Bidders for new franchises will be asked to consider cycle-rail integration matters in their bid submissions.

Blue Badges

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce temporary parking exemption Blue Badges for those suffering short-term impairment; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Department for Transport has accepted a recommendation made by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), the Department's statutory advisers on the transport needs of disabled people, that the Blue Badge scheme should be extended to people with temporary mobility impairments which severely affect their walking ability and are likely to do so for at least 12 months. We intend to consult on draft regulations later this year.

Cycle Route Signs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued on the requirement for local highway authorities to erect cycle route signs on highways; and on what date the guidance was published.

Stephen Ladyman: There is no specific requirement for authorities to erect cycle route signs. However, the Department issued a Local Transport Note LTN 2/87 Signs for Cycle Facilities" in November 1987.
	General guidance on the complete range of traffic signs is contained in the Traffic Signs Manual.

Departmental Staff

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of (a) staff and (b) new staff employed in (i) his Department and (ii) each of the agencies for which he has responsibility, were registered as disabled in each of the last three years for which data are available.

Derek Twigg: The information requested is shown in the following tables as far as it is available.
	
		2005–06
		
			  New recruits Overall number of staff 
			  Disabled Total Disabled Total 
		
		
			 DFT (C) 2 327 81 2,153 
			 DSA 1 265 92 2,762 
			 DVLA 8 632 617 7,001 
			 GCDA(1) — 27 8 307 
			 HA 17 1,264 117 3,229 
			 MCA 4 161 97 1,236 
			 VGA 0 10 3 111 
			 VOSA 0 152 62 2,805 
			 Total 32 2,838 1,077 19,604 
		
	
	
		2004–05
		
			  New recruits Overall number of staff 
			  Disabled Total Disabled Total 
		
		
			 DFT ( C) 4 195 54 1,992 
			 DSA 2 586 98 2,706 
			 DVLA 21 688 523 7,123 
			 GCDA(1) — 24 8 300 
			 HA 2 384 103 2,196 
			 MCA 7 138 99 1,253 
			 VGA 0 10 4 107 
			 VOSA 1 276 60 2,826 
			 Total 37 2,301 949 18,503 
		
	
	
		2003–04
		
			  New recruits Overall number of staff 
			  Disabled Total Disabled Total 
		
		
			 DFT ( C) 1 93 54 1,956 
			 DSA 29 265 70 2,403 
			 DVLA 53 1,442 565 7,091 
			 GCDA(1) — 32 7 304 
			 HA 7 381 109 2,008 
			 MCA 3 182 99 1,231 
			 VGA 0 6 4 109 
			 VOSA 8 604 26 2,804 
			 Total 101 3,005 934 17,906 
		
	
	(1) The Government Car and Despatch Agency became part of the Department for Transport as of 8 November 2005.

Metrolink

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2006 Official Report, column 1650W, on Metrolink phase 3, whether the matters discussed included (a) reducing the number of lines, (b) shortening the route on any of the three lines and (c) a timetable for work to commence on building phase 3; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive have recently submitted a draft business case seeking Government funding, from the Regional Funding Allocation. Discussions are ongoing.

Olympic Games

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the (a) demand and (b) required capacity on the (i) London transport network, (ii) national rail network and (iii) road network for the 2012 Olympics; what timetable he envisages for delivering increased capacity to meet demand; what budget will be made available; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Olympic Delivery Authority and the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) are responsible for developing and delivering the plans for transport for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
	These plans, which included estimates of spectator demand and transport network capacity, were initially set out in the candidature file submitted to the International Olympic Committee in November 2004. This document is available in the House of Commons Library.
	Table 14.14 set out the predicted spectator demand for each venue and table 14.8 set out the predicted 2012 capacity of the public transport fleet which would serve the Games.
	On average the total demand for spectator transport for the Games is predicted to be some 500,000 per day, peaking at 770,000 on the busiest day. This includes regional events such as sailing at Weymouth and Olympic football matches.
	Peak demand for the Olympic Park in Stratford is around 300,000 spectators per day. The 10 railway lines which will serve the Olympic Park will be capable of transporting some 240,000 passengers per hour during the peak, ensuring that there will be adequate capacity for both spectators and normal transport users.
	Both transport capacity and spectator demand will be kept under review by LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority as the work preparing for the 2012 Games progresses.
	Transport specifically for the 2012 Games will be paid for from the Olympic Public Sector Funding Package agreed between the Government and Mayor of London, which is funded from the National Lottery, the London Development Agency and London council tax.

Prestwick/Stansted Airports

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date (a) Prestwick and (b) Stansted Airports were designated as bases from which to deal with security alerts over UK airspace involving terrorist threats.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 24 April 2006
	All UK airports are required to maintain contingency plans for dealing with security alerts. Beyond that it would not be appropriate to comment on specific security matters at individual airports.

Railways

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what means he assesses the work of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch; what assessment he has made of its performance to date; whether he plans changes to the methods of assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The RAIB produces reports on all its investigations and copies are provided to the Secretary of State. These reports are also put into the public domain.
	The reports enable the Secretary of State to assess, on an ongoing basis, the work of the RAIB. This is in addition to meetings that the Secretary of State holds with the Chief Inspector of the RAIB.
	There are no plans to change the methods of assessment.

Railways

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislation governs the use of (a) private hire vehicles and (b) unlicensed drivers and vehicles as transport for rail replacement; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: s40 of the Railways Act 2005 provides for where a railway passenger service is temporarily interrupted or has been discontinued, the Secretary of State (or Scottish Ministers in the case of Scotland) may secure the provision of a substitute service for the carriage of passengers by road by means of public service vehicles (i.e. buses) or private hire vehicles.
	A private hire vehicle means a vehicle licensed under s37 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847, s6 of the Metropolitan Public Carriage Act 1869, s48 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 or s7 of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 (or additionally in the case of Scotland taxis or private hire cars licensed under s10 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy to replace rail services with bus services on the (a) Par to Newquay, (b) Liskeard to Looe, (c) Totnes and Ivybridge to Plymouth, (d) Chippenham to Frome and (e) Severn Beach routes.

Derek Twigg: Other than the continuation of existing arrangements whereby buses provide some services between Avonmouth and Severn Beach, there is no policy to replace rail services with buses on any of these routes.

Railways

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of previously closed branch lines have been re-opened since May 1997.

Derek Twigg: In England and Wales, approximately 17 miles of former freight line have been re-opened for passenger use since 1997.

Railways

David Mundell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether funding has been allocated to the Scottish Executive in respect of Railways for All.

Derek Twigg: Following the enactment of the Railways Act 2005, responsibility for the funding and specifying the outputs of the rail network in Scotland transferred to Scottish Ministers on 1 April 2006. Over £360 million per annum has been transferred from the Department for Transport to Transport Scotland to enable Scottish Ministers to discharge these new responsibilities. The operation and funding of the Access for All programme in Scotland is under discussion between the Department and Transport Scotland.

Railways

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times nuclear flasks have been transported by rail in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: This information is available in a report commissioned last year by this Department entitled Survey into the Radiological Impact of the Normal Transport of Radioactive Material in the UK by Road and Rail", reference NRPB-W66. Copies of this report have been placed in the House Library and are available on the internet at the following address:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/w_series_reports/2005/nrpb_w66.htm

Railways

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates the Department has made of the amount of nuclear waste that has been transported by rail in each of the last 10 years; and how much he expects to be transported by rail in the next five years.

Derek Twigg: This Department does not hold detailed information on quantities of radioactive waste transported.
	Information on shipments of radioactive waste by rail is available in a report commissioned last year by this Department entitled Survey into the Radiological Impact of the Normal Transport of Radioactive Material in the UK by Road and Rail", reference NRPB-W66. Copies of this report have been placed in the House Library and are available on the internet at the following address:
	http://www.hpa.org.uk/radiation/publications/w_series_reports/2005/nrpb_w66.htm

Road-Legality Regulations

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to (a) review and (b) vary the regulations which (i) modified and (ii) performance vehicles are required to meet to be classified as road-legal.

Stephen Ladyman: There are no specific plans to review the regulations relating to modified or performance vehicles. All road vehicles are required to comply with the appropriate construction requirements, irrespective of whether they have been modified or are performance vehicles. These types of vehicles may, however, be affected by changes that could arise from revisions currently being negotiated for the European type approval regime, but at present it is too early to say one way or the other.

Roads (Romford/Havering)

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was spent on building new roads in (a) Romford and (b) Havering in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is generally not held centrally and would only be obtainable from the relevant local highway authorities, Transport for London (TfL) and the London borough of Havering respectively.
	The Highways Agency is not responsible for any roads in the Romford area.
	None of the roads for which the Highways Agency is responsible within the London borough of Havering have been built in the last 10 years.

Route Utilisation Strategy

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what timetable he envisages for the redevelopment of London Waterloo station to facilitate the implementation of the Route Utilisation Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 25 April 2006
	The major redevelopment of Waterloo is being considered by Network Rail and a master plan proposal is currently under evaluation by them. Elements of the Route Utilisation Strategy are being taken forward through the franchising process.

Seat Belts

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about newly-produced cars being fitted with a seat belt reminder system.

Stephen Ladyman: Further to my answer to the hon. Member of 19 April 2006, Official Report, columns 708–9W, I have received no further representations about newly-produced cars being fitted with a seat belt reminder system.

Speed Cameras

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is mandatory for the speed camera partnerships to corroborate their cameras radar measurements of speed with the cameras photographic evidence before sending out a notice of intended prosecution to those accused of speeding offences; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	This is a matter for the individual police forces within safety camera partnerships. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued a Code of Practice for the Operational use of Road Policing Enforcement Technology (available on the ACPO website www.acpo.police.uk). This deals in part with the use of approved secondary check procedures to verify the continuing accuracy of the device.

Speed Limits

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on traffic volumes of the strict enforcement of (a) existing 60 mph and 70 mph speed limits and (b) a 55 mph speed limit on all extra-urban roads, broken down by (i) class of road and (ii) type of vehicle.

Stephen Ladyman: Speed limits are in place for road safety reasons, and enforcement of them is a matter for the police.

Train Timetable (West Country)

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria the Department used in deciding to specify in the Greater Western Franchise (a) a reduction in the frequency and (b) an increase in the journey time of trains between (i) London and Exeter and (ii) London and Plymouth; how many trains under the new schedule will reach (A) Exeter in two hours or under and (B) Plymouth in three hours or under from London; and how many did so under the (1) current schedule and (2) 1994 schedule.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 21 March 2006
	The Great Western Franchise specification was designed to improve the overall operational and financial performance of the train service and to ensure resources were used to best meet market needs.
	Under the proposed timetable for December 2006, which has been consulted on by First Group, the fastest journey time between London and Exeter will be two hours eight minutes, with the average journey time for daytime trains being two hours 31 minutes. No trains made the journey in two hours or under in 1994. The position for Plymouth is that in the proposed December 2006 timetable the fastest journey will be three hours; in the present timetable two trains arrive in three hours or less, while in 1994 no trains made the journey in three hours or under.
	First announced a series of changes to their proposed December 2006 timetable on 3 April, including the reinstatement of two London and Exeter trains in each direction, which will allow improved journey times to Plymouth.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Avian Influenza

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the efficacy of the methodology used in collecting samples for testing for avian influenza.

Ben Bradshaw: Regular assessments are made of the methodologies used for sample collection and any changes in methodology are robustly validated to international standards prior to adoption. The procedures used for UK programmes of avian influenza surveillance in wild bird populations conform to international protocols. These are specifically endorsed as part of a mandatory European Union wild bird surveillance programme and ratified by all member states.
	As the service provider for Al surveillance testing, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) has a commitment to ensure that any modifications to procedures are fully validated before new methodology is adopted. This ensures a high degree of quality assurance, critical for detection and diagnosis, especially with respect to a listed pathogen of zoonotic potential such as avian influenza.
	In January 2006, the VLA launched a project studying virus survival. The results from this study will be formally linked, where required, to any review process.

Climate Change Targets

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what plans she has to ensure that her Department's progress in meeting domestic climate change targets is effectively monitored;
	(2)  what additional measures she is planning to enable the Government to meet their domestic climate change targets; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 April 2006
	The new Climate Change Programme, published in March 2006, sets out a range of policies to support our national climate change goals. These include measures to support increased electricity generation from renewable sources, to encourage energy efficiency measures in households, and to provide more reliable consumer product information. The Programme will also support more sustainable transport choices, introduce higher standards for energy efficiency in buildings, and finance energy efficiency measures for public sector organisations.
	Defra is also consulting on the draft of the UK's National Allocation Plan for the second phase of the EU emissions trading scheme. The Scheme is a central element of the energy supply and business sectors' contribution to our policies to tackle climate change.
	Existing and new policies set out in the Programme are expected to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions to 15 to 18 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010. This would take the Government close to their domestic target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010.
	The Government issue annual updates on the UK's greenhouse gas emissions. The final emissions estimates for 2004 were published on 23rd January 2006, and can be viewed at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2006/06Q123b.htm
	The Government will also be reporting annually to Parliament on emissions levels.

Cuckmere Valley

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 651W, on the Cuckmere Valley, if she will break down the figure of 394,000 into (a) consultants costs, (b) internal staff costs and (c) other costs; and whether the allowance for internal staff costs reflects the total estimated costs applicable to the project internal staff.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 25 April 2006
	The Environment Agency confirms that the figure of 394,000 reported as spent to date on the Cuckmere Esturary Project in the parliamentary answer given on 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 651W, was split as follows:
	
		
			 Cost  
		
		
			 External consultants 337,000 
			 Internal staff 57,000 
		
	
	All costs for the project are included in the totals shown.

Cuckmere Valley

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 651W, on the Cuckmere Valley, how much has been spent to date; and how much it is anticipated will be spent on the next stage following the completion of the preparatory stage of the project.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 25 April 2006
	I understand from the Environment Agency that the total expenditure to date on the Cuckmere Estuary Project is 440,000. This figure is split as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 External consultants costs 375,000 
			 Internal staff costs 65,000 
		
	
	The principal outputs from this project, namely the flood risk management business case and the environmental report, are complete in draft and are undergoing internal review within the Agency. These reports have determined the preferred flood risk management and environmental policy options for the future management of the Cuckmere Estuary. When these options have been approved, it is intended that a scheme will be developed by a Partnership of English Nature, the National Trust, the South Downs Joint Committee and the Environment Agency. It is not possible to give an estimate of the costs of developing the scheme at this time.
	The current 100-year construction cost estimates for the three main policy options considered are:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 No active intervention with exit strategy 1.2 
			 Hold the line 17.13 
			 Managed realignment 2.4 
		
	
	Development costs are included within the figures. The costs of a public inquiry are not included in the figures.

Departmental Leave (Stress)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people have been on sick leave suffering from stress in her Department in each of the last three years; and what percentage of the total staff number this represents.

Jim Knight: During 2005 there were 180 members of staff in DEFRA (including State Veterinary Service, Government Decontamination Service and Marine Fisheries Agency) who were absent sick, giving stress as the reason. This represents 2.4 per cent. of the 7,573 staff.
	Figures for preceding years are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department takes the management of stress seriously and has recently changed the way in which employees and managers are supported, by introducing an employee assistance programme (EAR) to ensure employees have 24-hour access to professional support services as required.
	In terms of education and prevention, the Department's Occupational Support and Advisory Team has been undertaking mini-audits of business units against the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Management Standards for Stress.
	The team also maintain a website dedicated to stress related issues, and present a series of road-shows (including regional offices) to provide practical advice on the subject directly to staff.

Electric Shock Collars

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will carry out an investigation into the use of electric shock collars as a training aid for dogs.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 April 2006, Official Report, column. 23W.

Energy Efficiency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has undertaken to compare energy efficiency rates in the UK with other European Union countries.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 April 2006
	Only recently has work begun to develop proper indicators of energy efficiency changes, rather than using energy intensity as a proxy. Existing information on whole economy energy intensity is published on a consistent basis across the 25 member states and is available at:
	http://epp.eurostat.cec.eu.int/portal/page?_pageid=1996,3914 0985_dad=portal_schma=PORTALscreen=detailref language=enproduct=EU_strindroot=EU_strind/strind/enviro/en020
	However, energy intensity does not paint an accurate picture of efficiency gains as it includes structural changes as well as efficiency improvements.
	Defra has already developed an efficiency indicator for UK housing, as a contribution to the work of the interdepartmental Joint Working Group on Energy and the Environment. Information is available at:
	http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/environment/jwgee/0422.pdf
	Work is also under way on similar types of indicators for the UK industry and service sectors, although a lack of suitable data are delaying progress.
	In parallel, EU-wide work on energy efficiency across the EU-15 member states is being taken forward through the 'ODYSSEE' project. Defra and DTI jointly fund a consultancy to represent UK interests. Information on energy efficiency performance to 2003 for each member state is available at:
	http://www.odyssee-indicators.org/Publication/country_profiles.html
	Note:
	ODYSSEE data are not official statistics compiled and checked by the national statistical offices of member states.

Energy Efficiency

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to ensure European governments promote energy efficiency in domestic appliances.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 April 2006
	The Government are fully committed to raising product standards and encouraging consumers to use the most energy efficient domestic appliances. Progress is being made by a combination of policy measures including product information (energy labels), minimum standards, and the promotion of best practice. These are taken forward by the Market Transformation Programme (MTP).
	The UK continues to work closely with the European Commission to influence and speed up the delivery of both mandatory and voluntary measures under the recently agreed Eco-Design for Energy Using Products (EUP) Framework Directive. We are encouraging the Commission to bring forward formal proposals for revising the EU Energy labelling Scheme, and we are supporting the work of the Energy Saving Trust in promoting efficient domestic appliances.
	As President of both the EU and the G8 in 2005, the UK together with the European Commission hosted an International Energy Efficiency Conference (2 to 3 November 2005) to deliver a roadmap for global energy efficiency improvements. Details of the conference aims and outcomes can be viewed at:
	http://host5.oliveserver.co.uk/df/ee/conferenceobjectives.aspx
	We will also host the 2006 Energy Efficiency in Domestic Appliances and Lighting Conference (EEDAL 06) to advance international co-operation and new initiatives on energy efficient domestic appliances. Further details can be found at:
	http://www.livegroup.co.uk/EEDAL

Government Offices (Energy Consumption)

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Government's policy on the reduction of energy consumption in its offices; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government estate is the main vehicle for systematically assessing, reporting and improving Government performance in managing its own land and buildings in a sustainable way. It sets cross-Government targets in all key operational areas, including energy consumption.
	The Sustainable Development Commission's report, 'Leading by Example? Not Exactly ... ' was published in December 2005. This reported on departmental performance against a range of sustainable operational targets within the framework.
	The Government accept that more needs to be done to improve its overall operational performance including its own energy consumption. The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy (Securing the Future, March 2005) included a commitment to review the framework and make proposals for achieving a significant change in operational performance. We are currently taking forward work in this area, and challenging new departmental energy targets will be published this summer.

Government Offices (Energy Consumption)

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to reduce energy consumption in its offices; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 24W.

House Building (West Chelmsford)

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are being taken taken to ensure there are sufficient levels of water supply to cope with the levels of house building in West Chelmsford constituency.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 April 2006
	All water companies have water resource management plans which look ahead 25 years and include projections of current and future demands for water. These are regularly updated to take account of factors including projections of household numbers, occupancy rates, and the implications of climate change. The management plan for Essex and Suffolk Water includes proposals for an extension to the Abberton reservoir by 2014.

Mobile Telephones

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, columns 312W, on mobile telephones, what the timescale is for the implementation of the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Directive.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department is currently engaged in conversations with key stakeholders on the best way to implement the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. I will be announcing a new timetable before the parliamentary recess in July.

Single Farm Payments

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many new applicants have sought to register land for single farm payments; and how much land not previously registered under the integrated admission and control system has been registered.

Jim Knight: Since December 2004 some 50,000 customers have registered land for the purposes of the Single Payment Scheme and the Environmental Stewardships schemes. The increase in land is 0.95 million hectares.

Single Farm Payments

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications for registering land for single farm payment have been made in total from North Essex.

Jim Knight: 78 applications have been made to register land in North Essex from customers who were not registered under the old IACS (integrated administration and control system).

Sporting Facilities (Drought Orders)

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the requirements of (a) professional and (b) amateur sporting facilities in the event of the introduction of drought orders;

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to exempt (a) county cricket clubs and (b) community sports facilities from drought orders; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 April 2006
	I recognise that any drought order made to restrict use of water may impact on how sporting facilities and clubs maintain their grounds. However, serious drought is an exceptional event and provisions must be in place to allow water companies to fulfil their duty to supply water to domestic customers.
	Drought orders can be made only after careful consideration of all the issues raised by objectors to an application. A hearing will normally be held by an independent Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State. Objectors have the opportunity to be heard by the Inspector. In determining the application the Secretary of State will take into account the objections raised and the Inspector's recommendations.

Vital Villages Funding

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which villages have received vital villages funding; when each received such funding; and which villages have applied for funding but have been unsuccessful.

Jim Knight: Between 2001 and March 2005 the Countryside Agency's Vital Villages programme met its target to help over 1000 rural communities to help themselves by assisting them in identifying service needs, piloting the adoption of alternative approaches to addressing these needs and having a greater say In their own affairs.
	We do not keep central records on all the information you have requested but I have placed in the Library of the House the following information provided by the Countryside Agency which I hope will be of interest:
	Annex 1A list of all agreed and between 2001 and 2005, including which each is located. Unfortunately the projects received their funding is not completed Vital Villages projects details of the Parish/District in year when each of these recorded on this list.
	Annex 2A list of unsuccessful applications for Vital Villages grants. Unfortunately the Parish/District location been recorded of each of these has not been recorded.

Water Storage (South-east)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to build new water storage capacity in the South East of England.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 24 April 2006
	Water companies rather than Government are responsible for considering new reservoirs as part of their duty to maintain adequate supplies of water. Water companies serving customers in the South East have identified a number of schemes to build new reservoirs or expand existing ones in their 25-year water resources plans prepared in 2004.
	
		
			 Company Scheme Year 
		
		
			 New Reservoirs   
			 Southern Broad Oak 2019 
			 South East Water Clay Hill 2015 
			 Portsmouth Havant Thicket 2020 
			 Thames Abingdon 2020 
			 Extended Reservoirs   
			 Southern, Mid Kent Raise Bewl 2015 
			 South East Water Bray Enlargement 2008 
			 Essex and Suffolk Water Abberton 2014

DEFENCE

Aircraft

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role of the Jaguar aircraft in Royal Air Force service will be after April 2006; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The role of the Jaguar Force from April 2006 is to continue to contribute to any UK or NATO commitments which require its capability, especially in the role of ground attack or reconnaissance.

Army

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 12W, on the army, when he expects the full Territorial Army strength of 45,590 to be attained based on current levels of recruitment.

Adam Ingram: The current strength of the Territorial Army (TA), excluding the Officer Training Corps (OTC), stands at some 31,950 against an establishment of approximately 38,500, excluding OTC. This represents approximately 83 per cent. of the manning requirement. Achieving full manning of the TA is dependent not only upon recruitment levels but also retention. Major efforts are under way to address both issues and recent increases in TA recruitment are encouraging. It is not possible at this time to predict when full manning of the TA might be achieved.

Departmental Staff

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of (a) staff and (b) new staff employed in (i) his Department and (ii) each of the agencies for which he has responsibility were registered as disabled in each of the last three years for which data are available.

Don Touhig: Departmental records of disabled staff are solely based on voluntary declarations of disability under the Disability Discrimination Act and not connected to a formal register of disability.
	The following table gives the civilian staff headcount strength and details of disabled staff, employed by the Ministry of Defence, as recorded at 1 April 2004 and 1 April 2005. Comparisons between agencies should be treated with caution due to the different response rates for self declaration. Data prior to 1 April 2004 has not been published and are not available due to insufficient quality.
	
		Headcount
		
			 Ministry of Defence: by Agency April 2004 total Declared disabled Declared not disabled Unknown Disabled personnel as a percentage (exec. unknown) 
		
		
			 Ministry of Defence (Less Agencies) 41,640 1,620 22,780 17,240 6.6 
			   
			 Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency 170 10 110 50 5.9 
			 Army Training and Recruitment Agency 4,100 220 2,190 1,690 9.0 
			 British Forces Post Office 370 20 140 210 10.1 
			 Defence Analytical Services Agency 180 10 110 70 5.2 
			 Defence Bills Agency 640 40 340 250 10.2 
			 Defence Communications Service Agency 3,230 130 1,790 1,310 6.9 
			 Defence Dental Agency(2) 180  100 80 1.0 
			 Defence Estates(3) 2,500 100 1,570 830 5.8 
			 Defence Geographic Imagery Intelligence Agency(4) 850 30 470 340 6.5 
			 Defence Intelligence and Security Centre(5) 160 10 100 50 7.7 
			 Defence Medical and Education Training Agency 610 40 300 280 10.8 
			 Defence Procurement Agency 3,940 130 2,590 1,220 4.7 
			 Defence Storage and Distribution Agency 4,580 290 2,310 1,980 11.1 
			 Defence Transport and Movements Agency 320 10 160 150 6.0 
			 Defence Vetting Agency 340 10 220 110 5.3 
			 Disposal Services Agency 60  30 30 9.7 
			 Duke of Yorks Royal Military School 120  80 40 2.6 
			 Medical Supply Agency(6) 280 10 130 140 5.1 
			 Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency 6,050 140 3,160 2,750 4.2 
			 Naval Recruiting and Training Agency 1,190 60 640 480 8.4 
			 Pay and Personnel Agency 790 20 460 300 5.1 
			 Queen Victoria School 80  30 40 8.6 
			 RAF Training Group Defence Agency 2,390 120 1,360 910 7.8 
			 Service Childrens Education 1,020 10 450 560 1.7 
			 Veterans Agency 910 80 570 250 12.9 
			 Warship Support Agency(7) 5,070 190 2,940 1940 6.2 
			 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries(8) 2,350 ** ** ** ** 
			   
			 Level 1(9) 84,070 3,290 45,130 33,340 6.8 
			   
			 Army Base Repair Organisation 1,850 120 770 960 13.7 
			 Defence Aviation Repair Agency 3,690 150 2,990 550 4.9 
			 Defence Science and Technology Laboratories 3,210 60 3,160  1.7 
			 Meteorological Office 1,880 70 1,730 80 3.8 
			 UK Hydrographic Office(8) 940 ** ** ** ** 
			 Locally Engaged Civilians(8) 15,430 ** ** ** ** 
			   
			 Level 0(9) 111,080 3,690 53,770 34,930 6.4 
		
	
	
		Headcount
		
			 Ministry of Defence: by Agency April 2005 total Declared disabled Declared not disabled Unknown Disabled personnel as a percentage (exec. unknown) 
		
		
			 Ministry of Defence (Less Agencies) 46,340 1,750 28,210 16,380 5.8 
			   
			 Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency 210 10 160 50 3.7 
			 Army Training and Recruitment Agency 4,110 200 2,540 1,370 7.5 
			 British Forces Post Office 340 20 170 160 8.8 
			 Defence Analytical Services Agency 200 10 130 60 4.3 
			 Defence Bills Agency 620 40 380 210 8.9 
			 Defence Communications Service Agency 3,490 140 2,180 1,170 6.0 
			 Defence Estates 2,860 110 1,940 820 5.2 
			 Defence Medical and Education Training Agency 610 40 370 200 8.8 
			 Defence Procurement Agency 3,910 130 2,740 1,040 4.6 
			 Defence Storage and Distribution Agency 4,490 310 2,900 1,280 9.7 
			 Defence Transport and Movements Agency 350 10 220 120 5.1 
			 Defence Vetting Agency 330 10 230 80 5.7 
			 Disposal Services Agency 60  40 30 2.7 
			 Duke of Yorks Royal Military School 120  80 40 2.5 
			 Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency 7,380 160 4,320 2,900 3.7 
			 Naval Recruiting and Training Agency 1,000 40 630 330 6.7 
			 Pay and Personnel Agency 830 20 560 250 4.0 
			 RAF Training Group Defence Agency 2,300 110 1,520 670 6.5 
			 Service Childrens Education 1,100  600 490 0.8 
			 Veterans Agency 850 90 580 190 13.0 
			 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries(8) 2,350 ** ** ** ** 
			   
			 Level 1(9) 83,880 3,200 50,480 27,840 6.0 
			   
			 Army Base Repair Organisation 1,670 110 690 870 13.3 
			 Defence Aviation Repair Agency 3,180 130 3,050  4.1 
			 Defence Science and Technology Laboratories 3,320 50 3,270  1.6 
			 Meteorological Office 1,810 60 1,650 90 3.7 
			 UK Hydrographic Office(8) 960 ** ** ** ** 
			 Locally Engaged Civilians(8) 15,660 ** ** ** ** 
			   
			 Level 0(9) 110,480 3,560 59,160 28,800 5.7 
		
	
	(2) Army Training and Recruitment Agency was formed in July 1997 by absorbing AITO plus recruiting.
	(3) Known as the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency until 1 July 1999.
	(4) Defence Analytical Services Agency formed July 1992.
	(5) Defence Bills Agency was formed in December 1996.
	(6) Defence Communications Service Agency formed April 1998 and absorbed lots of bits from DGIC, CHOTS, RAF Comms, RAFSEE and LISA.
	(7) Defence Dental Agency was formed February 1996. Ceased Agency status on 1 April 2005.
	(8) Known as the Defence Estates Organisation until 1 March 1999 and subsequently merged with Defence Housing Executive on 1 April 2005.
	(9) Level 1 is defined as civilian permanent and casual personnel employed by the department and the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries. Level 0 all those at Level 1 plus staff in the Trading Funds and Locally Engaged Civilians. The revised definitions of civilian personnel are used throughout, full details of which are available on the DASA website at www.dasa.mod.uk
	Notes:
	1. Figures quoted are headcount.
	2. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10, as a result totals may not always equal the sum of the parts. For visibility rounding has only been applied to figures of 10 and above.
	3. Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency was formed in April 1997.
	4. Defence Geographic Imagery Intelligence Agency formed April 2000 and included JARIC and Mil Survey. In April 2005 was absorbed into the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
	5. Defence Intelligence and Security Centre was formed October 1996. In April 2005 was absorbed into the Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
	6. Defence Medical Education and Training Agency was launched on 1 April 2003, and subsumed the Defence Medical Training Organisation and the Defence Secondary Care Agency.
	7. Launched on 1 April 1999 assuming responsibilities of the Specialist Procurement Services Agency.
	Disability data for new staff employed in the department are given as follows. Only the full financial year 200405 is currently available.
	
		Number and proportion of new staff employed within Ministry of Defence
		
			 Financial year Declared disabled Declared not disabled Unknown Disabled personnel as a percentage (exec. unknown) 
		
		
			 200405 90 8,720 610 1.0 
		
	
	Notes
	1. Data relate only to staff who have declared a disability and whose disability was recorded centrally at the time of commencing employment with the department.
	2. New staff to the department have been classified to include recruited, reinstated/re-hired, loaned and transferred from other Government Departments.
	3. The proportion of staff with disabilities is calculated only from the numbers where a disability status declaration has been made by the individual.

Gulf Veterans

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding has been received by the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme in each year since 1993.

Don Touhig: Information on the funding of the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) from 1993 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, for the financial year 200506 the cost of running the GVMAP was in the region of 150,000. This figure included accommodation, staffing and patient travel costs.

Land Assessment (Cotswolds)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his planned land quality assessment programme is for sites within the Cotswold District.

Don Touhig: The Ministry of Defence is committed to a programme that will achieve a minimum of a phase one desk-top land quality assessment for all of the defence estate in the United Kingdom by the end of 2007.
	There are no sites of particular concern in the Cotswold area.

Land Assessment (Cotswolds)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many of his Department's sites within the Cotswold District land contamination assessments have been undertaken; and what the findings were in each case.

Don Touhig: This information is not held centrally and will take time to collate. I will therefore write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Land Assessment (Cotswolds)

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his communication strategy is for providing information to the public on sites of concern in the Cotswold District, with particular reference to Aston Down; and what steps his Department has taken to prevent public access to such sites.

Don Touhig: As the Ministry of Defence does not have any sites for concern in the Cotswold District there is no need for a communication strategy for any site in the area.
	With regards to Aston Down a communication strategy was developed by MOD together with the current site owners. This reflected specific public interest in the site.
	There is a presumption in favour of public access to the defence estate, wherever this is compatible with operational and military training uses, public safety, security, conservation and the interests of our tenants. Aston Down was sold in February 2002 and public access is a matter for the new owners.

Ministry of Defence Stores

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2006, Official Report, column 16501W, on Ministry of Defence stores, why no financial recoveries were received in the first half of the financial year 200001.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 24 April 2006
	From October 1999, the process for pursuing such financial recoveries was de-centralised within the Ministry of Defence. During a period of transition to the new process, no recoveries were notified centrally as being attributable to the first half of 200001. To gather the information on recoveries made during this period could only be done at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Nick Pope

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 18 April 2006 to Question 63392, on Mr Nick Pope, if he will list the persons employed since 1994 to investigate unidentified aerial phenomena.

Don Touhig: Mr Pope was succeeded in post in July 1994 by Miss Kerry Philpott who filled the post until October 1998. This post was vacant for a period and the task of examining reports of unidentified aerial phenomena to establish whether they contained anything of defence significance was covered by a member of support staff, Miss Gaynor South, until the post was filled by Mr Adrian Nash in January 1999. Mr Nash left the post in October 1999 and these duties were again covered by Miss South until the present incumbent of the post, Mrs Linda Unwin, took up office in February 2000.

Submarines (Pollution)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 505W, on Southampton Docks, what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the Z berth in Southampton hosting a visit from a Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine, with particular reference to reactor cooling water discharges; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The discharge of reactor coolant water from RN nuclear-powered submarines at Z berths is not permitted. These submarines are operated in accordance with the relevant environmental protection legislation, national and international treaties and protocols. The environmental impact of their presence at a Z berth is therefore no greater than that for a commercial ship.
	The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) Environmental Sciences Department monitors the level of radioactive pollution on foreshores close to the locations of Z berths as part of its wider marine environmental survey programme, and the findings are published annually.

Trial Bishop Report

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make the Trial Bishop report available to members of the Defence Select Committee; if he will place a copy of the report in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Trial Bishop report contains information that if released could prejudice the safety and security of UK armed forces. Therefore it would not be in the public interest for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House at this time. I will consider a separate request from the Defence Committee in the usual way.

Ulster Defence Regiment

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider establishing a fund to support the widows and children of Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers who lost their lives as a result of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 25 April 2006
	The possibility of establishing an Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) widows' fund on the basis that they were disadvantaged compared with similar RUC widows was examined by the Ministry of Defence, culminating in a comprehensive analysis in July 2005.
	This study indicated that post-1974 UDR widows were no worse off than their RUC counterparts and most are somewhat better off. The pre-1974 widows of part-time soldiers were slightly worse off when their main pension and compensation benefits are compared to that of their counterparts. However, the comparison did not take into account a number of other factors. For example, armed forces occupational widows pensions are paid for life and war widows pensions and special payments are paid tax-free and disregarded when calculating income-related and housing benefits. If these factors were taken into account case by case, the UDR widows would generally not be worse off than their RUC counterparts.
	Should there be any individual hardship cases, those concerned would be eligible for assistance either from the UDR Benevolent Fund or through the Royal Irish Regiment Welfare Staff, but there are no plans to establish a separate fund on the lines suggested.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Construction Industry Training Board

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) funding for on-site assessment and training in construction will be subject to the full oversight of the committees and board of the CITB; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Hope: CITB-ConstructionSkills funding for the On-Site Assessment and Training Programme (OSAT) is provided through its annual grants scheme which I can confirm is subject to the scrutiny of CITB Board and its relevant sub-committees.

Construction Industry Training Board

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions her officials have had with officials of the Construction Industry Training Board on future initiatives on on-site assessment and training.

Phil Hope: The On-Site Assessment and Training Programme (OSAT) underpins the construction industry's drive to qualify the whole of its site work force and is a key component of the Sector Skills Agreement published in 2005 by CITB-ConstructionSkills, the Sector Skills Council covering the construction industry.
	The aim of the programme is to qualify 250,000 adults to Level 2 through this route, with almost 62,000 achievements to date and over 29,000 registrations in 2005. Future projections are stretching, and to achieve the aim of a fully skilled construction work force it is important that OSAT remains a key focus for the industry and for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), who plan and fund all post-16 provision of publicly funded training.
	OSAT is one of only a small number of LSC funding priorities, and my officials have recently been in discussion with colleagues from both the LSC and CITB-CS to ensure that OSAT remains central to LSC planning and that the programme is effectively supported and funded.

Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when her Department will reply to the letter of 16 February 2006 from the right hon. Member for Warley regarding Mr. McKenzie-Ward of Oldbury.

Ruth Kelly: I expect to respond to my right hon. Friend's letter on 26 April.

Enterprise Advisor Service

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Enterprise Adviser Service.

Phil Hope: The delivery of the Enterprise Adviser Service has been implemented by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC is also responsible for the assessment of the Service. Mark Haysom, chief executive of the LSC, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 25 April 2006
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question about the effectiveness of the Enterprise Adviser Service. Initial evaluations from the Lead LSCs responsible for the delivery of the service have been very positive. The first two years of the service involved Enterprise Advisers working with nearly 1000 secondary schools in the most disadvantaged areas. This work was subsequently built on with the 200506 re-focus of the service which brought more schools within its remit. Initial evaluations suggest that over 2000 schools are now within the scope of the service.
	Evaluations from the Lead LSCs and the Regional Enterprise Advisers all suggest that this service has had significant impact and is valued by the Head teachers and staff with whom they are working. The Enterprise Advisers were recruited from a largely private sector back-ground and as such have brought a significantly different perspective and skills set to schools. The knowledge, skills, experience and enthusiasm of the Enterprise Advisers has been a positive addition to the field of enterprise in education. Specific DfES resources for the service are due to end at the end of this academic year and the LSC is looking at how best to embed the good practice that has been fostered through this service into local and regional enterprise activity.

Prison Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she has taken to broaden the prison education curriculum key and basic skills as recommended by the Education and Skills Select Committee report, HC1141 on Prison Education.

Phil Hope: Improving the literacy, numeracy and English language skills of offenders continues to be a high priority, and underpins success in vocational and employment training. We have introduced a much broader curriculum through the Offender's Learning Journey which is being tested in three development regions in England. This new offer includes a focus on work-related learning as well as the arts curriculum and personal and social development.

Speech and Language Teaching (Hillingdon)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost is per child of a placement in a speech and language unit run by Hillingdon local education authority.

Maria Eagle: This information is not collected centrally.

Statemented Children

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many statemented children there are in each (a) ward in West Lancashire constituency and (b) Lancashire; and what percentage of all children in each area these figures represent.

Maria Eagle: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		All schools(10): number and percentage of pupils with statements of special educational needs (SEN)(11) as at January 2005
		
			  All schools(10) 
			  Number of pupils with statements of SEN(11) Number of pupils(11)(headcount) Percentage of pupils with statements of SEN(12) 
		
		
			 West Lancashire constituency 786 15,458 5.1 
			 Wards in West Lancashire constituency:
			 Ashurst 15 556 2.7 
			 Aughton and Downholland 10 562 1.8 
			 Aughton Park 11 288 3.8 
			 Bickerstaffe (13) 55 (13) 
			 Birch Green 21 593 3.5 
			 Burscough East 12 461 2.6 
			 Burscough West 62 1,019 6.1 
			 Derby 51 1,994 2.6 
			 Digmoor 21 639 3.3 
			 Halsall (13) 109 (13) 
			 Knowsley 105 1,385 7.6 
			 Moorside 30 631 4.8 
			 Newburgh 5 159 3.1 
			 Parbold 13 433 3.0 
			 Scarisbrick 8 628 1.3 
			 Scott 6 162 3.7 
			 Skelmersdale North 147 2,855 5.1 
			 Skelmersdale South 135 637 21.2 
			 Tanhouse 94 570 16.5 
			 Up Holland 20 968 2.1 
			 Wrightington 17 754 2.3 
			  
			 Lancashire local authority area 7,391 182,583 4.0 
		
	
	(10) Includes maintained nursery, primary, secondary and all special schools, city technology colleges, academies, pupil referral units and independent schools.
	(11) Excludes dually registered pupils.
	(12) The number of pupils with statements expressed as a percentage of the school population.
	(13) 1 or 2 pupils, or a rate based on 1 or 2 pupils.
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census
	Provisional figures, taken as at January 2006, relating to the number of pupils with statements of SEN will be available at the end of April.

Sure Start

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what is the average expenditure per child was in Sure Start schemes in each year since 200102; what the average expenditure planned for each year to 200910; and if she will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: 524 Sure Start local programmes were opened on a rolling programme between 1999 and 2003, reaching around 400,000 children aged under four years. In their first two to three years programmes were building up their services and, generally, did not operate at peak levels until the third or fourth year. The average expenditure per child for every year for which grant has been paid or allocated is in the following table. With effect from the current financial year, the earliest programmes' grants are beginning to taper to a level consistent with delivering the children's centre offer. We expect that local authorities will be in a position to make savings through economies of scale, for example on administration, finance and evaluation arrangements, now that the grant for programmes is paid directly to them.
	The Government have announced its intention to conduct a Comprehensive Spending Review in 2007 and we will await the outcome of that review before decisions are taken on the level of funding from April 2008. The Government have indicated on many occasions in the past the high priority it attaches to improving outcomes for children, including in the early years.
	
		
			 Financial year Average actual expenditure per child () Average planned expenditure per child 
		
		
			 200102 522  
			 200203 500  
			 200304 786  
			 200405 845  
			 200506  937 
			 200607  909 
			 200708  758 
		
	
	Source:
	1. Departmental expenditure figures for Sure Start Local Programmes.
	2. 2005 Population figures provided by Sure Start Local Programmes for under 4s in the programme area.

Television Sets

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Ministers' private offices and (c) in each office building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department.

Bill Rammell: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, there are 24 TV sets in Ministers' offices.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Equal Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what representations she has received regarding the gender pay gap (a) in the private sector and (b) in the public sector.

Meg Munn: I have ongoing dialogue with trade unions, employers from both the public and private sector, and others including the Equal Opportunities Commission concerning the gender pay gap. I recently supported the launch of Opportunity Now's Benchmarking Report, which was a culmination of 159 in-depth assessments of UK organisations in the private, public and education sectors. The report contains case studies, advice, action plans and recommendations on how employers can address gender equality and diversity in the workplace, including tackling the gender pay gap.
	The Government also warmly welcomes the report Shaping a Fairer Future from the Women and Work Commission and is in discussion with key stakeholders with a view to issuing an action plan to take forward recommendations on tackling the gender pay gap later this year.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Capita

Andrew Turner: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what services to the House are provided by Capita; at what cost; and for what periods.

Nick Harvey: Services provided to the House over the last two years by companies within the Capita group have included staff recruitment, training, pensions administration and other specialist advice. The total cash costs were:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200405 815,171 
			 200506 619,442 
		
	
	The only specific long-term contract with Capita is for pensions administration at a cost of some 45,000 per year over five years. Recruitment, advertising and response handling contracts are in the process of being tendered.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abortion and Poverty

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 182W, on abortion and poverty, 
	(1)  how (a) hon. Members, (b) Members of the House of Lords and (c) members of the public are able to obtain copies of the booklet Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what terms and conditions were set in requesting the International Planned Parenthood Federation to produce the booklet Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty; how many copies his Department obtained; to whom they were sent; how much was spent on (a) postage and packing and (b) officials' time in dealing with the publication; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whom he consulted before requesting the International Planned Parenthood Federation to produce the booklet Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty; what views were expressed; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  when the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the foreword to the booklet Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty was drafted; by whom; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: I asked the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) to survey the global scene on unsafe abortion, which resulted in the report Death and Denial: Unsafe Abortion and Poverty. No specific terms and conditions were set in making this request. The report provides an overview of the current situation regarding unsafe abortion around the world. Without stopping unsafe abortion, which causes over 13 per cent. of all maternal deaths, the Millennium Development Goal to lower maternal mortality by 2015 is unlikely to be met.
	DFID was not involved in the production or printing of the booklet which was undertaken by the IPPF. I agreed to write the foreword given the pressing need for an open and informed discussion on this issue. The foreword was written by officials and agreed by Ministers. No outside consultation was undertaken or required as the DFID policy position with regard to abortion is already established.
	DFID obtained 150 copies of the booklet for internal distribution only. DFID is not involved in the distribution which is the responsibility of the IPPF from whom copies of the booklet can be obtained. I have arranged for copies of the document entitled 'Death and Denial; Unsafe Abortion and Poverty' which has been produced by the IPPF, to be placed in the Libraries of the House. I am sure that the IPPF would provide copies of the report to interested members of the public requesting it.
	It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of officials' time in dealing with all aspects of the production of the booklet, from advice to Ministers, responding to correspondence and parliamentary questions, without incurring a disproportionate cost.

China

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the United Nations Population Fund's (a) country programme document and (b) sixth country programme in its application to China.

Hilary Benn: The United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)'s country programme document (also known as the sixth country programme) guides the UNFPA's work in China.
	UNFPA have successfully demonstrated that non-coercive family planning methods can be effective in China. The UNFPA's policy of constructive engagement with the Chinese Government should help further improve this. We look to the UNFPA to take forward its work with the Chinese Government within the framework of the new programme.
	The UNFPA's activities in China, as in the rest of the world, are in strict conformity with the unanimously adopted programme of action at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

China

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will discuss with the United Nations Population Fund the statements made by its spokesman in China that the government of China has solved its population problem; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: We have been advised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) representative in China that they have not made any statements to the effect that the UNFPA consider that the Government of China had solved its population problem.
	The UNFPA's rationale for their presence in China is to help the Government of China to live up to its international commitments, such as the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

China

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the United Nations Population Fund's (a) standard service delivery protocols and (b) quality of care principles include the right of individuals to refuse the use of contraception (i) in China and (ii) elsewhere without penalty; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) assistance in China and other developing countries abides by the principles of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, which says that family planning should enable individuals and couples to exercise their human right to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have the information and means to enjoy that right. The principle of informed choice is essential to the long-term success of family planning programmes. Any form of coercion has no part to play.
	The service delivery protocol used by the UNFPA office in China specifically provides free contraceptive choice and for clients to receive such service based on their informed consent. The UNFPA assistance in approximately 140 other developing countries is based on the same principle of free and informed decisions and consent.

China

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make representations to the United Nations Population Fund that it refuse to operate in China if the Chinese government does not guarantee that all couples are free to determine the timing of child-bearing; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) works in a number of provinces in China, that have agreed to comply with the principles from the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), where it promotes the principle of voluntary family planning. Any developments which are contrary to ICPD in counties that receive UNFPA assistance would be reported to the UNFPA Executive Board, which makes decisions on whether to continue UNFPA assistance in China and any other developing country.
	The UK supported the approval of the new country programme for China at the January 2006 Executive Board, which is based on the above principles. We believe that the UNFPA's work in China improves policy and practice through advocacy and assistance.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on addressing violence and abuse against children, with particular reference to those accused of sorcery.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him today (UIN 65706).

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the financial situation of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 24 April 2006
	The UK recognises that the funding gap which exists for the 2006 and 2007 replenishment period poses a challenge. At present US$46 million is available for Round 6 of the Global Fund, but approximately US$1 billion is needed to enable new grants to be approved and fully funded in 2006. This is a substantial funding gap for the 200607 replenishment period.
	There will be a mid-term review of the Global Fund's replenishment process in June. This will be an opportunity for the international community to review further, the Global Fund's performance and urge new and existing donors to put in more money. The UK has pledged 359 million to the Global Fund for 2002 to 2008. This exceeds our fair share based on gross national income, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the Global Fund. The UK will continue to encourage other donors to provide additional support to fill the funding gap. In particular, we will be encouraging support from the oil producing countries and calling for a greater effort by the private sector.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what position the UK will take regarding the launch of a Round 6 of grants at the Global Fund's next board meeting at the end of April; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 24 April 2006
	The UK will support the launch of Round 6 at the April board. At present US$46 million is available for Round 6, but approximately US$1 billion is needed to enable new grants to be approved and fully funded in 2006.
	The UK has pledged 359 million to the Global Fund for 2002 to 2008. Last September, we doubled our commitment to the Global Fund for 2006 and 2007 to 100 million per year. This exceeds our fair share based on gross national income, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the Global Fund. Other donors need to do more to meet their share of Global Fund resources and the UK will continue to encourage them to provide additional support to fill the funding gap. In particular, we will be encouraging support from the oil producing countries and calling for a greater effort by the private sector.

Nigeria

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken by his Department to support the implementation and enforcement of Nigeria's transparency code.

Hilary Benn: Nigeria does not have a single transparency code, but is in the process of implementing and attempting to enforce a range of transparency initiatives. DFID is involved at various stages in assisting the Nigerian Government in this as a key element of its support to improved governance, which is one of the three parts of Nigeria's poverty reduction strategy, the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS).
	DFID has also provided support for Nigeria's leading role in implementing the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to promote transparency in the use of oil revenue. DFID in Nigeria has also provided technical and financial support to a unit in the Nigerian Finance Ministry responsible for co-ordinating the audits of oil and gas revenue that have been recently published.
	In the area of enforcement of transparency and other elements of anti-corruption codes, DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are jointly providing technical support to the work of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of a number of high profile corruption cases in recent months which include the provision of evidence that led to the impeachment of the former Governor of Bayelsa State and his subsequent prosecution, as well as the conviction and imprisonment of the former Inspector General of Police. The UK's support to EFCC is designed to complement a much larger programme of support from the EC.
	At the Federal level, DFID continues to support Nigeria's Federal Economic Reform Team, in implementing other reforms to promote transparency and improve accountability, including improving Public Financial Management, publishing Federal Government allocations of budget to state and local government level and supporting civil society involvement in the Federal Government's Medium-Term Sector Strategies.
	DFID also provides support to increased transparency at a state level by making clear its assistance will go to those states that have shown the most commitment to transparency and other elements of improved governance.
	DFID has been a leading partner in driving forward the G8 Transparency Compact with Nigeria. In response the Federal Government has recently created the Technical Unit on Governance and Anti-Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), an inter-departmental Government initiative to measure and communicate the impact of various anti-corruption initiatives in Nigeria.
	DFID is also implementing other programmes of assistance which include elements of support for increased transparency in the justice sector, policing, the electoral process and the National Assembly.

Palestine

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, with particular reference to the availability of essential items of food.

Hilary Benn: Earlier this month, the closure of the Kami crossing caused food shortages in Gaza. Israel is now allowing sufficient food to be imported into Gaza. We are aware that humanitarian needs could increase. Gaza's economy is affected by the closure of the Kami crossing to exports. In the future, if the Palestinian Authority cannot pay salaries, livelihoods in Gaza may be further affected. DFID is working closely with the UN Office for the co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs to monitor the situation.

Palestine

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effects of the closure of the Karni crossing in Gaza on the humanitarian situation in that area; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: The closure of the Kami crossing in Gaza to imports of basic food commodities created considerable food shortages in early March. Israel is now allowing food to be imported into Gaza regularly. The ongoing restrictions on exports through the Kami crossing continue to have a damaging effect on the Gaza economy. This is contributing to an increase in humanitarian need in Gaza. DFID is working with the UN Office for the co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs to monitor the humanitarian situation, to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable are met.

Sao Tome

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the discovery of oil in Sao Tome on poverty reduction.

Hilary Benn: DFID has no bilateral programme with Sao Tome, and has not made a direct assessment of the impact of the discovery of oil on poverty reduction. Over the past two years, Sao Tome and Principe has moved to open the country to oil exploration and development. The Joint Development Zone (JDZ) with Nigeria is the first area to be explored. In June 2004, the Presidents signed the Abuja Declaration requesting that all oil operations in this zone follow strict transparency principles, including the publication of all state payments in accordance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). We encourage the adoption of these principles which will help promote poverty reduction along with good governance and transparency.
	In December 2004, President Fradique de Menezes of Sao Tome and Principe signed a Revenue Management Law. In anticipation of significant oil revenues, this Law promotes transparency and establishes detailed measures to ensure responsible management of petroleum wealth. In January 2005, Sao Tome signed the first Production Sharing Contract, setting a new standard through a clause on transparency that makes specific mention of the EITI principles. This clause is expected to become a precedent for future contracts in the JDZ and in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Sao Tome and Principe.
	The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank estimate that Sao Tome is likely to reach heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) completion point in 2006, which indicates that the country is broadly on track in terms of improving economic and fiscal governance, with an adequate strategy for reducing poverty.

South Africa

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the prevalence of alcohol abuse in South Africa; and what steps he is taking to support the government of South Africa in tackling alcohol and drug abuse.

Hilary Benn: The South African Medical Research Council is the primary agency measuring the nature and extent of alcohol use and its associated consequences. It has detailed information concerning its impact on mortality, trauma and violence and risky sexual activity that increases the risk of HIV. For example, recent studies in Cape Town, Durban, and Port Elizabeth (PE) have found that:
	45 per cent. of all non-natural deaths had high blood alcohol concentrations. Levels of alcohol were particularly high for transport-related deaths and homicides.
	39 per cent. of trauma patients had high breath alcohol concentrations. 73 per cent. of patients with violence-related injuries in Port Elizabeth had levels above the legal limit for driving.
	Between 33 per cent. and 50 per cent. of crimes categorised as family violence were committed by people who were reported to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the alleged offence.
	DFID does not provide support to the Government of South Africa to address alcohol abuse. Our support for the health sector concentrates on HIV prevention and care as the priority area of intervention.
	For more information on alcohol and drug abuse in South Africa, the South African Medical Research Council provides useful additional information at www.mrc.ac.za

Strategic Defence Reviews

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the aid allocated to the Ugandan strategic defence review was spent, broken down by budget heading.

Hilary Benn: DFID provided approximately 500,000 between December 2001 and December 2005 to help the Ugandan Ministry of Defence carry out Uganda's first strategic Defence Review. This was provided as technical assistance to support the review process which came largely from the UK Government's Security Sector and Defence Advisory Team and the Centre for Defence Studies King's College. The support provided included consultancy services, training in areas such as change management, management of local consultation, dissemination of the review's findings and an assessment of lessons learned.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Bank Holidays

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans to bring forward proposals to allow agency workers to have paid bank holidays without having to take them as part of their annual leave allowance.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government intend to make paid leave for bank holidays additional to the annual leave entitlement, on a pro-rata basis for those working part-time. To ensure that the impact of this change does not affect the employment security of those involved, we will consult with stakeholders before detailed proposals are made.

Bankruptcies

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individuals have declared themselves bankrupt in each year since 1997, broken down by age.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Figures quoted in the following table relate to England and Wales. Bankruptcy figures make up only part of the headline individual insolvency series, which also includes individual voluntary arrangements (IVA's) and deeds of arrangement. These figures are not analysed by age, however, the Insolvency Service has recently published the report Characteristics of a Bankrupt, which includes information by age group for financial years 200102 to 200405 and is available here:
	http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/insolvencyprofessionandlegislation/policychange/cob.pdf
	
		
			  Total Bankruptcy orders IVA's and deeds of arrangement 
		
		
			 1997 24,441 19,892 4,549 
			 1998 24,549 19,647 4,902 
			 1999 28,806 21,611 7,195 
			 2000 29,528 21,550 7,978 
			 2001 29,775 23,477 6,298 
			 2002 30,587 24,292 6,295 
			 2003 35,604 28,021 7,583 
			 2004 46,650 35,898 10,752 
			 2005 67,580 47,287 20,293

British Energy

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what stake the Government hold in British Energy; what its value is; and what plans he has to sell off that stake.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 25 April 2006
	The Nuclear Liabilities Fund holds 265 million of British Energy bonds as well as a right to approximately 65 per cent. of British Energy's annual adjusted free cash flow (the 'cash sweep'), a right that is convertible into British Energy shares. The Department applies a proxy valuation to the cash sweep based on the prevailing British Energy share price.
	Based on a market valuation, at the close of play on 24 March 2005, the British Energy bonds were valued at about 284 million and the 'cash sweep' was estimated to be around 6.6 billion based on converting the 65 per cent. stake at current share prices.
	As the Chancellor stated in his Budget statement, the Government are prepared to consider selling part of the stake in British Energy but only after the Energy Review has concluded.

British Nuclear Group

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Health and Safety Executive will decide whether to prosecute British Nuclear Group over the leak at the Thorp reprocessing plant in April 2005.

Malcolm Wicks: As Minister with accountability to Parliament for matters relating to civil nuclear safety, this question has been passed to me for reply. Decisions regarding enforcement action against British Nuclear Group are quite rightly a matter for the independent safety regulator, the Health and Safety Executive. I understand that HSE is still considering what, if any, action to take, but that a decision is anticipated by the end of April.

Coal

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much coal was produced by each company licensed by the Coal Authority in each year since 1994.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department collects data from the Coal Authority on the basis that information relating to individual coal companies is not disclosed in published statistics unless they are already publicly available. The available information on coal production is contained in Table 2.1.1 of the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 2005 and Table 2.1 of Energy Trends. Both are available on the DTI website at:
	www.dti.gsi.gov.uk/energy/inform/energy_stats/coal/index.shtml
	An extract showing total production by licensed mines since 1994 is as follows:
	
		Thousand tonnes
		
			  Total(14) Deep-mined Opencast 
		
		
			 1994 49,785 31,854 16,804 
			 1995 53,037 35,150 16,369 
			 1996 50,197 32,223 16,315 
			 1997 48,495 30,281 16,700 
			 1998 41,177 25,731 14,315 
			 1999 37,077 20,888 15,275 
			 2000 31,197 17,187 13,412 
			 2001 31,930 17,347 14,166 
			 2002 29,989 16,391 13,148 
			 2003 28,279 15,633 12,126 
			 2004 25,096 12,542 11,993 
			 2005(15) 20,624 9,563 10,445 
		
	
	(14) Includes slurry.
	(15) Provisional.

Compensation Claims

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the 20 firms of solicitors who (a) have received the most in costs, (b) have the most claims outstanding, (c) have received the highest average settlement, (d) have had most claims (i) refused and (ii) withdrawn and (e) have pursued the most claims through common law court action in relation to (A) vibration white finger, (B) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (C) noise-induced hearing loss.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 19 April 2006
	The figures requested are set out in the tables, which I have placed in the Libraries of the House.

Debt Advice Helpline

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how much was spent on advertising the Debt Advice Helpline before the launch of the helpline; and how much has been spent since the launch of the helpline;
	(2)  in what ways the Debt Advice Helpline has been advertised;
	(3)  how many people per month were expected to use the Debt Advice Helpline pilot before its launch;
	(4)  how many people used the Debt Advice Helpline pilot in the first month since its launch.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government welcome the establishment of the Debt Advice Helpline, which is an important initiative to look at ways of ensuring that those who need it get help with their debt problems. However, it is an initiative of the debt advice sector, and DTI has no direct involvement in it. The Helpline is operated on behalf of all the participants by the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (contact Jan Smith on 0113 2355 333) and is governed by an independent charity, The Debt Advice Gateway Trust (contact Geron Walker on 020 7653 9725).

Energy Suppliers

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information and assistance his Department provides to vulnerable groups to assist them in selecting electricity, water and gas suppliers.

Malcolm Wicks: Energywatch, the statutory gas and electricity consumer body, is responsible for providing customers, including vulnerable customers, with comparative information about energy suppliers and the range of tariffs they offer. The Security of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for water industry issues.

Financial Assistance (Heating)

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many days financial assistance with heating costs was provided to disabled people in receipt of benefits in (a) the North West and (b) England in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: I have been asked to reply.
	During the winter months disabled people in receipt of benefits may be eligible to receive a cold weather payment. Cold weather payments are intended to provide extra help to the most vulnerable people towards additional heating costs during a period of cold weather. People receiving pension credit are eligible as are income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance customers with a pensioner or disability premium, or who have a child under five or a child who is disabled.
	The cold weather payment scheme is in place each winter from 1 November to 31 March. Every residential postcode in the country is linked to one of the 74 weather stations used in the scheme. A payment is made when the average temperature at a given weather station is recorded as, or is forecast to be, zero degrees or below over seven consecutive days. Thus, when a payment is 'triggered', it in effect covers seven days.
	In the last five years, it has never been the case that all weather stations covering the north west or all weather stations covering England have triggered payment at the same time.
	For each of the last five years, the number of weather stations triggering payment for a particular number of times is given in the following table.
	
		Number of weather stations with stated number of triggers
		
			 Number of triggers North West England 
		
		
			 200102   
			 0 2 20 
			 1 3 25 
			 2 1 3 
			
			 200203   
			 0 2 23 
			 1 2 16 
			 2 1 7 
			 3 0 0 
			 4 1 2 
			
			 200304   
			 0 4 40 
			 1 1 3 
			 2 1 3 
			 3 0 0 
			 4 0 1 
			
			 200405   
			 0 6 42 
			 1 0 4 
			 2 0 0 
			 3 0 1 
			
			 200506   
			 0 4 38 
			 1 0 4 
			 2 1 4 
			 3 0 0 
			 4 1 1 
			 5 0 1 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The north west has been interpreted as the area covered by the north west Government office region.
	2. Some weather stations cover areas which straddle regional or country boundaries. Any weather station which covered part of the north west or part of England has been included, even if it covered part of another region or country as well.
	3. The number of weather stations and the areas they cover have changed slightly over the years.
	4. The number of people who qualify for a cold weather payment varies greatly by weather station. For example, for weather stations covering England which triggered payment in 200506, the number of people who qualified per weather station varied from an estimated 8,000 (for a weather station covering an area straddling England and Scotland) to an estimated 141,000.
	Source:
	Unpublished DWP Cold Weather Payments statistics.

Geothermal Energy

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government support is available for geothermal energy; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Between 1976 and the early 1990's the UK carried out a major Geothermal Research Programme at a cost in excess of 50 million. The key conclusions from the programme were that the UK is unlikely to see major developments based upon geothermal aquifers or the hot dry rock (HDR) method due to a limited resource, poor economics and limited scope for their application.
	Unless the technical, practical and economic constraints identified under the previous Geothermal Programme can be addressed, the prospects for geothermal power in the UK would appear to be limited.
	More recently interest has been growing in the use of Ground Source Heat Pumps. This technology can be applied to buildings of virtually any scale including domestic dwellings. It relies on heat exchange with the ground immediately beneath or close to buildings. There are at least 15 installations connected to commercial or public buildings in the UK, including the recently opened Welsh Assembly building.
	Both DEFRA and the DTI, in collaboration with the Heat Pump Association, have helped establish a UK Heat Pump Network to develop a partnership between manufactures, specialist advisers, and user groups. This network will ensure that independent and authoritative advice is available on the application and use of heat pumps.
	The recently launched Low Carbon Building Programme with a 80 million budget over three years, will provide support for a range of micro-generation technologies including ground source heat pumps. More information on the grant levels and how to apply is available at www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk

Low Carbon Buildings Programme

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to confirm the starting date of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme; what the planned date for the first funding round is; if he will list the grant eligible technologies; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 18 April 2006
	The Low Carbon Buildings programme was launched on 28 March 2006 as part of the Government's strategy for the promotion of micro generation. Applicants under the household stream 1 of the programme can start registering for application forms from 24 April 2006 and applications will be processed from the beginning of May 2006. You can find more information on the programme's website at: www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk, including a list of eligible technologies, grant levels and how to apply.

NIG Ltd

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints have been made to his Department about NIG Ltd in the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department is not aware of any complaints having been made about NIG Ltd in the last five years.

Noise-induced Hearing Loss (Mining)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which solicitors and claims handlers have had a fixed cost agreement with the Department for miners' claims for noise-induced hearing loss since 1999; for how much in each case; and when each (a) began and (b) ended.

Malcolm Wicks: The solicitors and claims handlers with whom we have fixed cost agreements for handling miners' hearing loss claims are listed:
	Barber Cartain, Ben Hoare Bell, Beresfords, Brian Mcardle, BRM, Browells, Campbell Smith , Comes, DMH Stallard, Drummond Miller, Gorman Hamilton, Gorvin Smith Fort, Graysons, Hickmotts, Houseman  Hailes, Hugh James, Ingrams, Irwin Mitchell, Kidd  Spoor Harper, Lathams, Lopian Wagner, Marrons, Mcardles, McConville O'Neill, Meloy Whittle Robinson, Morisons, Moss, Mortons, O H Parsons, Oxley  Coward, Pannone And Partners, Raleys, Randell Saunders, Saffmans, Simpson Miller, Thompsons, Union of Democratic Mineworkers, Watson Burton.
	Many of these agreements were in place at the time British Coal's liability was transferred to the Department in 1998. The agreements continue in force as long as the listed firms continue to submit claims. The Department is unable to divulge specific details of any particular agreement as these are commercial agreements and the terms are confidential between the parties.

Nuclear Decommissioning

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the full costs of (a) decommissioning nuclear power plants and (b) disposing of spent nuclear fuel will be taken into account in cost-benefit analysis of each nuclear power plant in (i) future energy White Papers and (ii) the current energy review; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Energy Review is examining potential costs of decommissioning any new nuclear plants and managing spent fuel.

Nuclear Decommissioning

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the full costs of (a) decommissioning nuclear power plants and (b) disposing of spent nuclear fuel are calculated; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) assumed responsibility for the decommissioning and clean up of the UK's civil nuclear legacy on 1 April 2005. The cost of the decommissioning and clean up of the NDA's sites is calculated by means of Life Cycle Baselineswhich are long-term plans providing a detailed assessment of the scope, methodology, and timescale of proposed site clean up activities. Life Cycle Baselines are published by the NDA and are available on their website at:
	www.nda.gov.uk

Nuclear Decommissioning

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 197W, on the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, how many shipments of reprocessed uranium have been returned to customers in each year since such dispatch from Sellafield began; to which countries uranium has been returned; what quantities of uranium were involved in each shipment; over what time period interim storage or reprocessed uranium has been offered to each customer; how much revenue has been raised from such storage contracts in each year since the storage contracts were activated; what the country of origin was in each case where the title of the reprocessed uranium did not reside with the originator of the reprocessed spent nuclear fuel; and what plans there are for the management of the reprocessed uranium not covered by return-to-sender clauses.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 24 April 2006
	The terms and conditions of British Nuclear Group's contracts with its reprocessing customers are confidential. This applies to historical information about shipments in previous years, including to which countries uranium has been returned, the quantities involved and the revenue raised from storage contracts.
	It is the decision of the customer to which country their reprocessed uranium is exported and who transports it. Once chosen, the destination country is incorporated into British Nuclear Group's contract with its reprocessing customer and is confidential.
	British Nuclear Group has agreed relatively long storage periods with UK customers. Overseas reprocessing customers are entitled to a much more limited period of storage under their reprocessing and associated contracts. In respect of reprocessed uranium stored in the UK, it is currently stored in steel drums within designated stores located on nuclear licensed sites. Options for reprocessed uranium are currently being considered by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority as announced in its strategy published on 30 March 2006.

Nuclear Waste

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total amount of nuclear waste produced by research establishments that use nuclear material has been in the last 30 years.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The total amount of nuclear waste produced by research establishments that use nuclear material in the last 30 years is estimated to be about 80,000 cubic metres, excluding future decommissioning wastes of about 170,000 cubic metres.

Nuclear Waste

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total amount of waste from nuclear power stations which is purely from the civil programme has been over the last 30 years.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	The total amount of nuclear waste produced by nuclear power stations which is purely from the civil programme in the last 30 years is estimated to be about 60,000 cubic metres, excluding future decommissioning wastes of about 410,000 cubic metres.

Oil Companies (Engagements)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last called a meeting with the executive directors of each of the main oil companies in the UK; who attended; what was discussed; how long the meeting lasted; if he will place in the Library a note made by his officials of the meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Energy Minister convened a meeting with executive directors of the main oil companies and their trade association UKPIA, the United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association, on 10 January 2006. UKPIA represents all of the UK's major oil refining companies. The meeting lasted for about an hour. The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss supply issues following the Buncefield Oil Terminal fire plus emergency stocking obligations. Under Competition Policy rules, at no stage was pricing of petrol and diesel discussed. A record of the meeting will not be placed in the Library, as doing so would prejudice commercial interests.

Photovoltaic Industry

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the annual budgets for (a) the Clear Skies and (b) the Solar Photovoltaics Major Demonstration programmes was in each of the last three years.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department did not allocate annual budgets for the Clear Skies and Major Demonstration PV programmes. The Clear Skies programme had a 13,250,000 budget over the last three years and the Major PV Demonstration programme had a 31,750,000 budget over the last four years. The amount of grant committed in each year over the last three years is as follows:
	
		
		
			  Clear Skies MDP PV 
		
		
			 200304 4,406,040 7,950,643 
			 200405 4,337,485 8,253,471 
			 200506 3,472,715 9,425,805

Road Fuel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice his Department (a) publishes and (b) gives to members of the public about how to conserve (i) petrol and (ii) diesel; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department of Trade and Industry does not publish this information, as it is matter for the Department for Transport (DfT). However, the New Car Fuel Consumption and Emission Figures booklet published annually by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VGA) includes advice on more efficient driving. The DfT's Logistics Policy Unit also publish advice on Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED) for commercial drivers.

Road Fuel

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average price was of a litre of (a) unleaded petrol and (b) diesel in (i) England, (ii) Essex, (iii) inner London and (iv) outer London in each week of 2006.

Malcolm Wicks: The DTI does not collect data in the above format. It is commercially available from Catalist. The following data has been provided by Catalist and consists of the average price of petrol and diesel on a Monday.
	
		
			  Unleaded pence per litre Diesel pence per litre 
			 Monday price w/c East Anglia London UK average East Anglia London UK average 
		
		
			 3 January 2006 89.0 89.0 88.4 93.1 92.6 92.8 
			 9 January 2006 89.5 89.5 88.9 93.4 93.0 93.2 
			 16 January 2006 90.0 89.7 89.3 93.9 93.3 93.5 
			 23 January 2006 90.6 90.1 89.8 94.2 93.7 93.9 
			 30 January 2006 91.0 90.7 90.3 94.8 94.3 94.3 
			 6 February 2006 90.8 90.4 90.1 94.6 94.0 94.2 
			 13 February 2006 90.6 90.2 90.0 94.5 93.8 94.1 
			 20 February 2006 90.5 90.0 89.9 94.3 93.7 94.0 
			 27 February 2006 90.2 89.9 89.8 94.2 93.6 94.0 
			 6 March 2006 90.1 89.8 89.7 94.3 93.7 94.0 
			 13 March 2006 90.3 90.0 89.8 94.5 93.8 94.2 
			 20 March 2006 90.8 90.7 90.4 94.9 94.4 94.6 
			 27 March 2006 91.7 91.3 91.1 95.6 95.0 95.2 
			 3 April 2006 92.5 92.1 92.1 96.1 95.5 95.9 
			 10 April 2006 93.7 93.1 93.2 97.1 96.4 96.8 
			 18 April 2006 95.1 94.4 94.6 97.9 97.4 97.8

Stress Laminated Timber

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State forTrade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure there are test facilities in the UK large enough to fire test a new form of stress laminated timber (SLT).

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	The testing of construction materials falls within ODPM policy responsibilities. The DTI does not directly support the establishment or maintenance of fire test facilities. There are several testing halls within the UK capable of undertaking large scale testing of stress laminated timber.

Sunday Trading

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what research his Department has (a) assessed and (b) commissioned on the social implications of relaxing Sunday trading restrictions;
	(2)  how potential social effects will be taken into account in his Department's review of Sunday trading restrictions.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The DTI issued a press and website notice in January asking for views and evidence on all aspects of Sunday trading.

Supermarkets

Shahid Malik: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will assess the merits of introducing measures to regulate the sale by national supermarket chains of goods at below wholesale prices.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has responsibilities for enforcing the UK competition and consumer protection regimes.
	The OFT has consulted on a proposed referral of the grocery market to the Competition Commission for a market investigation. The statutory consultation closed on 6 April and we expect the OFT's decision in early May.
	The Competition Commission (CC) has noted that prohibitions on below-cost selling in other countries have not been effective. The Irish Government has recently announced its intention to repeal the Restrictive Practices (Groceries) Order 1987 in its entirety. One of the key aims of the Order was to prevent below cost selling by larger retailers in a manner that that would damage their smaller competitors. Micheal Martin the Minister for Enterprise, Trade  Employment said that the Order has kept the prices of the vast majority of grocery products in Ireland at an artificially high level.
	In their reference the OFT have included consideration of the buying power of the supermarkets and its effect on the differential between prices to supermarkets and those to wholesalers and buying groups. Whether there are problems in the sector, and whether there are any remedies that should be put in place to address them will be a matter for the CC to consider should the OFT make a reference.

Torture Equipment

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to prevent British companies from brokering the sale of items for torture overseas.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government have had a national prohibition on the export of equipment used for torture since 1997, and deplore the use of such equipment. The UK has been at the forefront of global efforts to control the trade in torture equipment and has recently played an important role in the introduction of a related EU Regulation, which will also bring many other EU states up to our own level of control.
	In addition to the UK national ban on the export of torture equipment, trafficking and brokering has also been controlled under UK national controls since 2003. This will continue after implementation of the EU Regulation. Brokering of the controlled items is prohibited without a trade licence.

UK Trade and Investment

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the contracts won in 200405 by British companies from (a) China, (b) Japan, (c) Turkey, (d) the Far East and (e) the Middle East following the Duke of York's travels for UK Trade and Investment.

Ian Pearson: HRH The Duke of York is the UK's special representative for international trade and investment. In this role HRH makes a significant contribution in promoting the interests of UK industry and the UK as a whole, through an extensive programme of targeted engagements both in the UK and overseas. It is not possible to try to directly attribute contracts won to any individual contribution, as contracts are achieved through the efforts of many individuals and agencies, often over some years.
	There is a high demand from British business for The Duke's assistance in lobbying for both inward and outward investment.

Women in Work

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of women in (a) Wakefield district and (b) Normanton constituency are working (i) part-time and (ii) full-time.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table shows the proportion of all women (aged 16 and over) in either full-time or part-time employment 1 , for Wakefield and Normanton. Estimates refer to place of residence and are from the Annual Population Survey from the Office for National Statistics and cover the period from April 2004 to March 2005.
	
		Proportion of all women (aged 16 and over) in either full-time or part-time employment: April 2004-March 2005
		
			 Percentage 
			  Wakefield Normanton 
		
		
			 In employment(16)   
			 Full-time 32 37 
			 Part-time 26 28 
			
			 Not in employment(17) 42 36 
			 All women aged 16 plus 100 100 
		
	
	(16) Employment includes: employees, self-employed, Government employment and training programmes, and unpaid family workers.
	(17) Not in employment includes unemployed and economically inactive women.
	Source:
	ONS Annual Population Survey

SCOTLAND

Departmental Leave (Stress)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff have been on sick leave suffering from stress in the Department in each of the last three years; and what percentage of the total staff number this represents.

David Cairns: Fewer than five people have been affected; to avoid disclosure, the Office does not specify actual figures where the number is below five.

Grievance Procedures

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many grievance procedures have been initiated in the Department in each of the last three years.

David Cairns: None.

Harassment Procedures

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment have been investigated in the Department in each of the last three years; and how many complaints have been upheld.

David Cairns: No complaints have been received.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

British Library

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the future role of the British Library at Boston Spa.

David Lammy: The future role of the British Library at Boston Spa is a matter for the British Library Board.

British Library

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the respective roles of the reading rooms at the British Library premises in (a) London and (b) Boston Spa.

David Lammy: The British Library reading rooms at St. Pancras provide 1,100 reader seats. The reading room at Boston Spa provides 76 reader seats. There are no current plans to alter the reading room provision at Boston Spa.

Commonwealth Games

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the performance of the British Commonwealth teams in the recent Commonwealth Games.

Richard Caborn: The Games were a marvellous occasion, both for the participants and spectators, and there were some truly excellent and inspiring performances by the British teams. As sport is a devolved issue, I will not comment further on the performance of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish teams.
	The English team had some considerable successes, not least in the swimming pool, the boxing ring and the velodrome, and consolidated its position as the number two Commonwealth nation.
	The team's performance also gave some indications of success at future competitions, including the Beijing Olympics in two years' time, the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010, and London 2012. UK Sport, the Government's lead agency for elite sport, will be working with the English and UK National Governing Bodies to help bring performances in line with the very best.

Digital Switchover

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent progress her Department has made on digital switchover; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: Good progress continues to be made. The Government have confirmed the regional timetable for switchover and announced support schemes to help the most vulnerable households to make the switch. The not-for-profit organisation Digital UK, which will co-ordinate the switch to digital television, has now been set up.
	We will shortly publish the report of the trial conducted in the Bolton area in association with the BBC. The conclusions of the trial together with other research and discussions with the consumer experts group and other stakeholders will inform the development of the nationwide support scheme.

High Definition Television

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when high definition television is expected to be available to viewers across the UK.

James Purnell: The equipment needed to receive High Definition TV is already available to all Telewest consumers. Customers with such equipment can access free of charge a limited amount of High Definition content from the on-demand library. There are plans to roll out similar equipment to ntl customers but no specific timescales are currently available.
	Sky plan to offer high definition services nationally via satellite from late May.

Internet Gambling

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has held with the Remote Gambling Association on the effectiveness of its code of practice in discouraging internet gambling addiction.

Richard Caborn: The Remote Gambling Association contacted the Department with a draft version of their social responsibility code prior to its publication and asked for comments, which officials provided.
	Later this year I will be hosting a Government level international summit to consider the scope for building on best practice and developing international norms in social responsibility for remote gambling operators around the globe.

Olympic Games

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Exchequer funding forms part of the funding package for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.

Richard Caborn: As is normal practice, the local organising committee will be largely funded through sponsorship; sale of tickets; and directly from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
	There are no plans to provide Exchequer funding for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) although the Government have, as required by the IOC, given an assurance that they will act as the ultimate financial guarantor should there be a shortfall between Olympic costs and revenues. However, over 50 million from the Public Sector Funding Package will be going to LOCOG to fund the delivery of the Paralympic Games.

Olympic Games (Shooting)

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans there are for the use of the facility being built in London for indoor and outdoor shooting activities after the 2012 Olympic Games has ended.

Richard Caborn: The shooting hall for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is one of a number of temporary venues that will be relocated after the Games has finished.
	Decisions on the future use and location of all of the temporary venues will be made on a needs basis, in close consultation with the Home Country Sports Councils and UK Sport, closer to 2012.

Olympic Levy (Bexley)

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on the Olympic Levy from residents in the London Borough of Bexley.

Richard Caborn: Since 1 April 2005, DCMS has received around 60 letters concerning the Olympic element of the London council tax. Of these, two are from addresses in the London Borough of Bexley.

Smoking

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what representations her Department has received from the (a) theatre, (b) film and (c) television industry regarding possible exemptions to the ban on smoking in public places for the purposes of artistic productions; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions her Department has had with the Secretary of State for Health regarding possible exemptions to the ban on smoking in public places for the purposes of (a) theatre, (b) film and (c) television productions; and if she will make a statement.

David Lammy: I have discussed smoking in public places for the purposes of artistic productions with the Theatrical Management Association/Society for London Theatre. I have received no other representations from the film, broadcasting and theatre industries and I have not discussed this particular point with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
	However, my officials have been kept fully informed of the progress of discussions between the Department of Health, Equity and the Theatrical Management Association regarding possible exemptions from the workplace smoking ban.

Sport Funding (South-east London)

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what central Government funding has been allocated to sport in South East London during the past eight years.

Richard Caborn: Financial support for sport from public sources is primarily channelled through Sport England and UK Sport, the two DCMS sponsored bodies which award Lottery grants and dispense Exchequer funds for sport from DCMS.
	Sport England
	Since 1997, Sport England has awarded Exchequer funding of approximately 157,000 to South East London 1 boroughs. This is in addition to Lottery funding of 33.5 million 2 which Sport England has awarded to this area for the same period.
	UK Sport
	It is not possible for UK Sport to determine an amount of Lottery or Exchequer funding allocated to South East London as its funding is not directed to specific regions. However, UK Sport has identified 18 athletes with a declared address in South East London who have benefited from Lottery funded Athlete Personal Awards of approximately 487,000 3 .
	1 For the purposes of this question, Sport England has included funding awarded to the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark in its definition of South East London.
	2 This figure includes Lottery awards of approximately 25 million made through programmes such as: Community Capital, Community Investment Fund, Active Communities Development Fund, Active Sports, Active England, Community Athletics Refurbishment Programme, Sport Action Zones and Green Spaces. This also includes mixed Lottery and Exchequer awards of approximately 8.5 million made through programmes such as: School Sports Partnerships and Space for Sport and Arts.
	3 This figure shows the funding awarded since January 2001, the date which UK Sport took over management of Athlete Personal Awards from Sport England.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum Seekers

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures exist to deal with asylum seekers who leave the UK under the voluntary return scheme but return to the UK subsequently.

Tony McNulty: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 10 April 2006, Official Report, column 281W.

Carlile Report

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take concerning the problems with the use of restraint and isolation in secure training centres identified in the Carlile Report.

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 10 April 2006, Official Report, column 284W.

Criminal Justice Act

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the operation of section 118 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003.

Fiona Mactaggart: I see no need to do so, but if the hon. Member has a particular concern about the operation of the law in this area perhaps he will write to me.

Drug Treatment Programmes

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Class A drug users who are in treatment have committed an offence in the last three months.

Paul Goggins: The information is not available in the format requested.

Forensic Science Service

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether spending by the Forensic Science Service on DNA tests in murder cases is subject to a cash limit.

Andy Burnham: Decisions relating to the costs involved in commissioning the Forensic Science Service to carry out a scientific examination of evidence in a criminal investigation are made by individual police forces, who have responsibility for determining the levels of spending appropriate to each investigation.

Forensic Science Service

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases in which proceedings are complete the Forensic Science Service has (a) lost and (b) misinterpreted evidence since 2000; and how many cases were not proceeded with as a result.

Andy Burnham: The Forensic Science Service (FSS) has reviewed its records and has not identified any completed cases since 2000, in which evidence was lost or misinterpreted. Differences in opinion can arise between expert witnesses providing evidence, based on their interpretation of the information available. The FSS has identified two cases within this time period where timeliness of the identification of evidence could have been improved. Decisions as to whether cases are proceeded with are made by individual police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Prisons

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people under 18 years are detained in each adult prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: On 30 June 2005 two such persons were held in Eastwood Park.
	These young prisoners were female and held in female prisons, in accommodation specially set aside for juveniles on young offender wings. Under 17 year old girls are no longer placed within the Prison Service estate, unless exceptional circumstances apply in an individual case; and four dedicated units, within the Prison Service estate, have now been created for 17 year old girls; a fifth is due to open later this year.

Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to build medium-secure units within the prison infrastructure to provide support for prisoners who have mental health concerns.

Fiona Mactaggart: We have no such plans. Low, medium and high secure units are health-care facilities that are part of the hospital system rather than the Prison Service.
	Where prisoners require treatment in a medium secure psychiatric setting for a mental disorder, they should be transferred to hospital rather than being treated in prison.

Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of inmates' (a) access to and (b) use of acupuncture at each London prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: None. The provision of therapies for prisoners is a matter for the PCT responsible for commissioning the primary health service at the establishment concerned.

Prisons

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much time is allowed for meetings between inmates and their families, including children, in (a) men's and (b) women's prisons; and to what extent arrangements for such visits differ between the two types of prison.

Fiona Mactaggart: holding answer 24 April 2006
	The statutory allowance for visits is the same for both men and women and is audited. For convicted prisoners, the statutory minimum is one hour. In exceptional circumstances, the establishment can apply for a temporary reduction to 30 minutes. For unconvicted prisoners, the minimum is one and a half hours a week where the establishment offers visits on a daily basis, or a minimum of one hour in prisons where visits are allowed three days a week as opposed to daily. Visiting arrangements are administered locally at the discretion of governors and directors, taking into account operational requirements. The actual duration of visits is not recorded centrally.
	Many prisons offer more than the prescribed minima and the length of the visit may also be linked to the incentives and earned privileges scheme, which is managed by each establishment. An increasing number of establishments also offer extended family or children's visits, typically lasting a half or full day, as well as focussed visits which are structured around the needs of the child and imprisoned parent.

Prisons

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in delivering an electronic system for the transfer of records between prisons.

Fiona Mactaggart: An electronic case management system enabling both the prisons and probations services to share information in real time (C-NOMIS) will be introduced in July 2006 and rolled out across the services over a period of 24 months.

Road Protests

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost has been of removing protestors from road protest sites in (a) England, (b) Essex and (c) Southend-on-Sea in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: This information is not collected centrally.

Road Traffic Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females driving an emergency vehicle received a notice of prosecution for committing an offence under section 89 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 in (i) Southend-on-Sea, (ii) Essex, (iii) the Metropolitan Police area of London and (iv) England and Wales in each year since 1996.

Paul Goggins: The information is not collected centrally.

Road Traffic Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females were imprisoned for failure to pay a fixed penalty as a result of their committing an offence under section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in each of the last two years for which figures are available, broken down by age.

Fiona Mactaggart: The information is not available.

Road Traffic Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the fixed penalty was for a contravention of (a) section 33A of the Road Traffic Act 1972 and (b) section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in each year since 1983.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Road Traffic Act 1972 has been repealed, but its provisions concerning the wearing of protective helmets by riders of motor cycles were re-enacted in the Road Traffic Act 1988. Section 14 of the 1988 Act concerns the wearing of seat belts. The offences are non-endorsable. In 1983 the fixed penalty for non-endorsable offences was 10. In 1986 the penalty was raised to 12 . In 1990 the penalty was raised to 16 and in 1992 was raised to 20. From 1 November 2000 the penalty was raised to its current level of 30.

Road Traffic Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many speed camera tickets have been cancelled in (a) England, (b) Essex and (c) Southend because the driver could show he was attending an emergency in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: Information is not available centrally on the number of drivers of emergency vehicles who elect to challenge a speed camera ticket.

Sentencing Guidelines Council

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had during the last two years with the Sentencing Guidelines Council on the consistency of sentencing; what the (a) date, (b) time, (c) location and (d) duration was of each meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: Section 170(5)(a) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 provides that the Sentencing Guidelines Council (SGC) must have regard to the need to promote consistency in sentencing when framing or revising sentencing guidelines. Courts are required to have regard to relevant sentencing guidelines and, when departing from them, state the reasons for doing so.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has not met with the SGC within the last two years.

Sentencing Guidelines Council

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the likely impact of the Sentencing Guidelines Council on the size of the (a) probation and (b) prisons case load over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Fiona Mactaggart: Published projections of future workloads for prison and probation take into account legislative and other changes with an agreed timetable. This includes the new sentences under the Criminal Justice Act 2003 where the Sentencing Guidelines Council (SGC) guideline, published in December 2004, has been taken into account in estimating the likely impacts on workloads. The Updated and revised prison populations projections: 20052011 England and Wales (HOSB 10/05) were published in July 2005. There may be impacts from future SGC guidelines on specific offences, but until these have been finalised and published, it is not possible to take account of them in our estimates.

Sentencing Guidelines Council

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions in each of the last three years when he has proposed to the Sentencing Guidelines Council (a) that sentencing guidelines and (b) allocation guidelines be framed or revised by the council (i) in respect of offences or offenders of a particular category and (ii) in respect of a particular matter affecting sentencing.

Fiona Mactaggart: The Sentencing Guidelines Council was set up in March 2004. In 2004, the council was asked to consider the level of fines imposed by courts where a fixed penalty notice had been declined for the offence of driving while uninsured. In 2005, the council was asked to consider issuing guidance on the provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 2003 relating to the assessment of dangerousness.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Council Tax Rebate

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners received the council tax rebate announced in the 2005 Budget in (a) Manchester, Withington and (b) England.

Stephen Timms: This information is not currently available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as it is. I expect this to be by the summer.

Government Buildings (Lytham St Annes)

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether he plans to end in the next five years any of his Department's activities currently undertaken on the Government building site at Heyhouses Lane, Lytham St. Annes; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will list (a) the sections of (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies and (b) those working on contract for the Department located on the Government building site at Heyhouses Lane, Lytham St. Annes.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 31 January 2006
	The Department continues to look for more efficient use of its property and is currently reviewing the size and shape of its Head Office estate as part of its efficiency challenge. Proposals, which include consideration of the Department's buildings in Blackpool and Lytham St. Anne's, including Heyhouses Lane, are currently with the Department's Executive Team and Ministers. Any proposals for change will, of course, be subject to full consultation with staff and departmental trade unions.
	The following sections of the Department have staff that are located on the Government building site on Heyhouses Lane, Lytham St. Anne's.
	Finance Directorate
	Human Resources Directorate
	Information Division
	Programme and Systems Delivery Group
	Work, Welfare and Equality Group
	The following agencies of the Department have staff that are located on the Government building site on Heyhouses Lane, Lytham St. Anne's.
	Child Support Agency
	Jobcentre Plus
	The Pension Service
	The following contractors of the Department have staff that are located on the Government building site on Heyhouses Lane, Lytham St. Anne's.
	British Telecom
	Electronic Data Systems

Incapacity Benefit

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many recipients of incapacity benefit in Tamworth had their benefit reduced in each of the last five years, broken down by reason; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people living in Tamworth constituency claimed incapacity benefit in each year since 1997; and what proportion of the working age population in the constituency this represents in each year.

Anne McGuire: pursuant to the reply, 15 February 2005, Official Report, c. 2184W
	The only reason for a claimant's incapacity benefit to be reduced is the receipt of an occupational pension in excess of 85.00 a week. The number of cases so affected in Tamworth is too small to be able to provide a precise figure.
	Information on the number of incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants in the Tamworth parliamentary constituency is in the table. Working-age population figures are not available for parliamentary constituencies, so the information about proportions cannot be estimated.
	
		Incapacity Benefit (IB) and Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA) claimants in the Tamworth parliamentary constituency
		
			 August Number 
		
		
			 1997 3,800 
			 1998 3,600 
			 1999 3,400 
			 2000 3,500 
			 2001 3,600 
			 2002 3,600 
			 2003 3,700 
			 2004 3,600 
			 2005 3,600 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The parliamentary constituency figures for the years 1997 to 1998 have been produced using the 5 per cent. data and have been rated up proportionally using the Great Britain WPLS 100 per cent. IB/SDA totals.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
	3. 'Claimant' figures include all IB and SDA, including IB credits only cases.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate, 5 per cent. samples from 1997 to 1998 and Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data thereafter.

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of those making an incapacity benefit claim on grounds of (a) certain infectious and parasitic diseases, (b) neoplasms, (c) diseases of the blood and blood forming organs and certain diseases involving the immune mechanism, (d) endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, (e) mental and behavioural disorders, (f) diseases of the nervous system, (g) diseases of the eye and adnexa, (h) diseases of the ear and mastoid process, (i) diseases of the circulatory system, (j) diseases of the respiratory system, (k) factors influencing health status and contact with health services, (l) diseases of the digestive system, (m) diseases of the skin and subcutaneous system, (n) diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, (o) diseases of the genitourinary system, (p) pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium, (q) certain conditions originating in the perinatal period, (r) congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities, (s) symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified and (t) injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes; were disallowed following a personal capability assessment in each of the last three years.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the table.
	
		Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance terminations following personal capability assessments; Great Britain
		
			  Year ending 31 August: 
			  2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 All cases 98,700 98,800 108,300 
			 Unknown diagnosis 1,300 1,500 900 
			 Certain infectious and parasitic diseases 500 600 900 
			 Neoplasms 700 800 1,100 
			 Diseases of the blood and blood forming organs and certain diseases involving the immune mechanism 400 400 200 
			 Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases 1,500 1,400 1,600 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders 33,400 32,800 39,100 
			 Diseases of the nervous system 2,100 2,500 2,300 
			 Diseases of the eye and adnexa 500 600 500 
			 Diseases of the ear and mastoid process 200 300 300 
			 Diseases of the circulatory system 5,900 5,900 5,500 
			 Diseases of the respiratory system 2,000 1,900 1,900 
			 Diseases of the digestive system 2,100 2,100 2,000 
			 Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous system 1,000 800 1,100 
			 Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99) 18,400 18,800 20,500 
			 Diseases of the genitourinary system 700 900 1,000 
			 Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium 400 500 500 
			 Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period
			 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
			 Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified 15,000 14,200 15,700 
			 Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes 11,400 11,800 12,400 
			 Factors influencing health status and contact with health services 1,100 1,000 900 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2.  means nil or negligible.
	3. Figures include all incapacity benefit (IB) and severe disablement allowance, including IB credits only cases.
	4. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. For illustration purposes, total IB only terminations for May 2004 increased by 33 per cent. in the year following their initial release
	Source:
	Information Directorate, five per cent. samples.

Teleclaiming

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions at what date a claim is deemed to have commenced under the teleclaiming system where (a) there is a gap between the initial telephone contact and the issuing of a claim form and (b) there is a delay to the interview date due to the need for an interpreter, advocate or other facilitator to be present.

Margaret Hodge: To make a new claim to working age benefits through Jobcentre Plus, a customer telephones a contact centre. Contact centre staff ask the customer a series of questions to assess their potential eligibility to Jobcentre Plus benefits. They then arrange to call the customer back at a mutually agreed time, to assist in completion of a claim form.
	The customer's date of claim normally commences from the date they first contact the contact centre, except where the customer wishes to claim in advance or in retrospect, in which case there are different processes in place. Any delay that might occur in dealing with a customer's claim does not impact on the initial date of claim. Likewise, if a customer needs an interpreter, advocate or facilitator at any point of the new claim process, any delay in arranging this will not adversely affect the date of claim.

Pathways to Work

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the off-flows from incapacity benefit at six months for each of the pathways to work pilot areas (a) were in the last 12-month period for which figures are available prior to the start of pathways to work and (b) have been since the start of pathways to work.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer on 18 January 2006
	The following table shows the average six month off-flow rate by district for the twelve months immediately prior to the pathways roll-out and the average six month off-flow rate since the pathways roll-out.
	The National Benefits Database does not include a proportion of short term incapacity benefit claims, therefore, the off-flow rates presented will be lower than the actual rates; however, trends over time will be consistent.
	
		Percentage
		
			  Phase 1 
			  Bridgend Rhondda Cynon and Taff Derbyshire RIAB(18) 
		
		
			 Twelve months prior to pathways 35 33 39 
			 Post pathways rollout 40 38 42 
			 Average increase following pathways rollout 5 5 3 
		
	
	
		Phase 2
		
			  Essex East Lancashire Gateshead and South Tyneside Somerset 
		
		
			 Twelve months prior to pathways 26 37 33 36 
			 Post pathways rollout 35 41 42 40 
			 Average increase following pathways rollout 8 3 9 4 
		
	
	(18) Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute
	Note:
	The statistics quoted in this response are taken from the Department's National Benefits Database.

Pensions

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the basic state pension was for (a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples in each year since 199798; and what the pension will be for each category in 200607.

Stephen Timms: The information is in the table.
	
		
		
			  Basic state pension for a single pensioner Basic state pension for a pensioner couple 
		
		
			 199798 62.45 99.80 
			 199899 64.70 103.40 
			 19992000 66.75 106.70 
			 200001 67.50 107.90 
			 200102 72.50 115.90 
			 200203 75.50 120.70 
			 200304 77.45 123.80 
			 200405 79.60 127.25 
			 200506 82.05 131.20 
			 200607 84.25 134.75 
		
	
	Both members of a pensioner couple are entitled to the full basic category A state pension for a single pensioner if they satisfy the contribution conditions. However, the combination of Category A and Category B (based on the husband's contributions) rates is commonly referred to as the couple's rate and is shown in the table.

Remploy

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for Remploy.

Anne McGuire: The Minister for Disabled People made a written ministerial statement to the House of Commons on the 16 March announcing a review of Remploy. Since then, PricewaterhouseCoopers have been appointed to conduct the review. To ensure that the employment needs of disabled people are fully taken into account, Dr Stephen Duckworth of Disability Matters has joined the review team. The review team will report to Ministers by the end of May.

Social Fund

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund grants were made in each year since 199596.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the table.
	
		Community Care Grants
		
			  Initial awards (thousands) 
		
		
			 199596 275 
			 199697 251 
			 199798 234 
			 199899 225 
			 19992000 220 
			 200001 225 
			 200102 233 
			 200203 245 
			 200304 256 
			 200405 261 
			 200506 275 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are for Great Britain.
	2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1,000.
	Source:
	DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Winter Fuel Payment

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has paid the winter fuel payment automatically to anybody who is not in receipt of another form of benefit since 200001.

Stephen Timms: People who have made a successful claim for a winter fuel payment since winter 200001 do not have to claim again in subsequent years, as long as there is no break in their eligibility and they keep us informed of their changes in circumstances.
	Anyone who becomes newly eligible for a winter fuel payment and who is in receipt of a DWP benefit will receive a winter fuel payment automatically; others will need to submit a claim.

PRIME MINISTER

Correspondence

Mark Harper: To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter, dated 19 January 2006, from the hon. Member for Forest of Dean with regard to Mr. Robin Caulkett.

Tony Blair: My Office has replied to the hon. Member.

World Cup (Complimentary Tickets)

Greg Hands: To ask the Prime Minister how many complimentary tickets his Office has received for gamestaking place at the FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.

Tony Blair: I have not received any complimentary tickets for World Cup matches taking place in Germany this summer.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Argentina

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Argentina about the prosecution of those guilty of human rights violations during the 1976 to 1983 Dirty War.

Douglas Alexander: The UK and our EU partners welcome the Government of Argentina's decision to tackle impunity and bring to justice those responsible for human rights abuses during the 197683 dirty war. Although my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with the Government of Argentina on the issue, it is a frequent subject of conversation between our embassy officials in Buenos Aires and a wide range of government and non-governmental contacts.

Better Regulation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made on better regulation at the recent EU Council.

Douglas Alexander: The Council reinforced the good progress made during the UK presidency, urging the EU Institutions to continue to deliver on their commitments including robust impact assessments and simplification of existing regulations. It asked the Commission to focus on concrete actions, including measuring administrative costs on business and reporting on measurable targets for reducing these burdens by the end of 2006; and to bring forward proposals to benefit small and medium sized enterprises such as longer transition periods for implementation of legislation, reduced fees, simplified reporting requirements and exemptions.

Burma

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British ambassador to Burma last met with (a) Aung San Suu Kyi and (b) members of the democracy movement.

Ian Pearson: Our ambassador in Rangoon last met Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 25 April 2003. Since her arrest on 30 May 2003, the Burmese regime has refused all requests by our ambassador to call on her.
	Our ambassador last met the leadership of the National League for Democracy on 21 April. She has regular contact with a wide range of opposition and civil society figures in Burma.

Chad

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Chad about the deterioration of Chad's relations with Sudan.

Ian Pearson: We are concerned about the deterioration in relations between the Governments of Chad and Sudan and its potential negative impact on the Darfur peace talks in Abuja. Our non-resident ambassador to Chad met the Chadian Foreign Minister in N'Djamena on 4 April. He made clear that the UK expects Chad to do its utmost to reduce tensions on the border with Sudan. We continue to call on all sides to show restraint and on the Governments of Chad and Sudan to resolve their differences and restore calm to the region without the use of violence.

Chad

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the extent of involvement of the Government of Sudan in rebel movements operating in Chad;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the extent of support provided by the Government of Sudan to the rebels seeking to overthrow the Government of Chad.

Ian Pearson: We are aware of reports concerning the Government of Sudan's alleged support for Chadian rebels. We welcome the African Union's (AU) initiative to send a mission to Chad to examine the political situation and investigate such allegations. This mission arrived in N'djamena on 21 April 2006 and will report to the AU Peace and Security Council this week.
	We continue to call on all sides to show restraint, and on the Governments of Chad and Sudan to resolve their differences and restore calm to the region without the use of violence.

Chad

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Chad about the protection of refugees from the conflict in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: We are concerned about the impact of the current political and security situation in Chad on over 200,000 refugees from Darfur, now sheltering in camps in eastern Chad. Our non-resident ambassador to Chad met the Chadian Foreign Minister on 4 April 2006. He made clear that the UK expects Chad to do its utmost to reduce tensions on the border with Sudan. Nothing should be done to threaten the lives or safety of either the refugees in Chad or the displaced persons in Darfur. We welcome President Deby's announcement on 17 April 2006 that none of these refugees would be forcibly relocated back into Darfur.

Chad

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of statements by the President of Chad that oil revenues are needed to pay for weapons.

Ian Pearson: We believe that African oil revenues should be used for sustainable development and poverty reduction, not for weapons purchases. We do not contest the Government of Chad's need to pay and equip the Chadian army for legitimate self-defence. But we believe the immediate priority should be efforts through negotiation to tackle Chad's internal instability and its dispute with Sudan.

Charles Taylor

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Nigeria, (b) Sierra Leone and (c) Liberia on the prosecution of Charles Taylor.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and other Ministers have discussed Charles Taylor with the Nigerian authorities and a range of other Governments. The UK has worked hard with international partners to achieve his transfer to the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has written to the Presidents of Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone to thank them for their role in achieving this outcome. We remain in close touch with them and with our international partners on managing the next steps of the trial process, and stand ready to continue to assist as best we can.

Colombia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Colombia about (a) respect for human rights, (b) progress towards democracy, (c) the freedom of the press and (d) tackling corruption in Colombia.

Douglas Alexander: My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, last met Colombian Vice President Santos in November 2005 in London to discuss a number of issues, including the human rights situation, democratic development and the fight against corruption. Our ambassador in Bogota and other British officials regularly meet Colombian government Ministers and officials, both bilaterally and through the EU and other international groupings, to discuss progress in implementing the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recommendations on human rights.
	Embassy officials in Bogota have recently discussed the question of freedom of the press with the Vice President's Office. In addition, under the UK Presidency, the EU carried out a lobbying campaign to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of expression in Colombia, particularly in relation to human rights defenders. As Presidency we talked with senior government representatives, including the Fiscal General and the Head of the Armed Forces Human Rights Unit, as well as with non-governmental organisations and the media.

Colombia

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether recent discussions have taken place between Colombian and UK authorities in relation to those citizens travelling on British passports in Colombia during August 2001 who were subsequently convicted by a Colombian court.

Douglas Alexander: There have been no recent discussions between the British and Colombian authorities about the case of those individuals who were convicted in 2004 by the Colombian authorities of travelling on false Irish and British passports within Colombia. The individuals concerned are Irish nationals and have returned to Ireland. The case is a matter between the Irish and Colombian governments.

Conference on Disarmament

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list individuals who have served as the UK Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament since 1992; on what date each (a) began working for his Department, (b) took up this post, (c) left this post and (d) left employment with his Department; and what post each of those still employed by his Department now holds.

Kim Howells: Sir Michael Weston was UK Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament (CD) from April 1992 to July 1997. Rejoined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1961 and retired from the service in 1997.
	Ian Soutar was UK Permanent Representative to the CD from August 1997 to September 2001. He joined the FCO in 1968 and retired from the service in 2003.
	David Broucher was UK Permanent Representative to the CD from October 2001 to August 2004. He joined the FCO in 1966 and retired from the service in 2004.
	Dr. John Freeman was UK Permanent Representative to the CD from September 2004 to March 2006. He joined the FCO in 1986, following a three year secondment, and is currently seconded as Deputy Director General to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
	John Duncan is the current UK Permanent Representative to the CD. He took up his position on 24 April 2006.

Conference on Disarmament

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each honour bestowed since 1 May 1997 on present and former holders of the post of UK Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament; and on what date each honour was bestowed.

Kim Howells: No honours have been bestowed on present or former holders of the post of UK Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament since 1997.

Democratic Republic of Congo

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on addressing the needs of street children.

Ian Pearson: The UK regularly reminds the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) authorities of the need to protect the rights of all vulnerable groups, including street children. The UK contributes to programmes through the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Save the Children and other non-governmental organisations which aim to protect children. We maintain close and regular contact with the DRC President's ambassador for children, and will continue to work with civil society groups and the Congolese Government to push for further action to bring those who abuse children to justice. We will continue to urge the DRC Government to take more action on child welfare.

Democratic Republic of Congo

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to support and promote reform of the (a) security sector and (b) army in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ian Pearson: Effective security sector reform is essential in ensuring long-term resolution of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and in the great lakes region. It is a UK priority. We are providing experts to the EU's Security Sector Reform Mission which offers advice to the DRC Government on integrating rebel factions into a unified army, on options for longer term comprehensive security sector reform and which is also implementing a military pay and administration reform project to ensure monthly salaries reach the soldiers on the ground. The UK is allocating approximately 5 million to support soldiers and their families in the newly integrated brigades, and an additional 3 million this year to other army-related interventions. We have contributed US $25 million over five years to the regional Multi-Country Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration Programme, through which DRC's national disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programme is funded, 9 million to a multi-donor police reform project, and 2 million to a justice reform project in the war-affected east of the country, an integral part of which will be support to the military justice system.

Democratic Republic of Congo

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on (a) prohibiting physical and sexual abuse of children by law enforcement personnel, (b) creating child protection units in all major cities, (c) outlawing churches which practise abusive child deliverance ceremonies and (d) providing rehabilitative centres for children as an alternative to prison.

Ian Pearson: The UK frequently reminds the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) authorities of the need to protect the rights of all vulnerable groups, especially children, and to bring to justice all perpetrators of abuse. We and EU colleagues have focused on eliminating abuses committed by security personnel. On 23 January, we and international partners presented President Kabila with a dossier of serious abuses committed by Congolese soldiers, which hon. Members of the All Party Parliamentary Group followed up on 6 April. We continue to support the UN Peacekeeping Mission's work in the human rights field, including their child protection units in major cities.
	As part of our presidency of the EU, the UK led an initiative to raise awareness of the problem of so-called child witches in DRC. We continue to work with the UN, civil society groups, established churches and the Congolese Government to address this problem and bring those who abuse children to justice. The UK has contributed to training programmes for justice sector workers, which includes training on child protection and the proper treatment of children within the justice system.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will consider the result of the forthcoming referendum in Gibraltar to approve the new constitution as an act of self-determination for the purposes of Government policy on Gibraltar.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 24 April 2006
	As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear in his written ministerial statement on 27 March 2006, Official Report, columns 4446W, the new constitution confirms that the people of Gibraltar have the right of self-determination.
	Nevertheless, the referendum process to approve the new constitution has yet to be settled. It would therefore be premature for the Government to comment at this stage.

India

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of trade relations with India.

Ian Pearson: Trade relations between India and the UK are traditionally strong and bilateral trade continues to show excellent growth.
	The value of bilateral trade with India for goods and services in 2004 was approximately 6.41 billion (2005 figures will be released in July 2006). This was an increase from 5.91 billion in 2003. UK exports to India show a 25.4 per cent. increase to December 2005 compared to the same period in 2004.
	The UK is currently the fifth biggest investor in India.
	To further strengthen bilateral commercial ties the Government have worked with its Indian counterparts in creating the Joint Economic Trade Committee (JETCO). Under JETCO the UK and Indian governments are working on the main action points to enhance bilateral trade and investment in specific sectors.
	The Asia Task Force was also created to identify and remove barriers to trade across the whole of Asia, but with particular focus on India and China.
	The Government also supports the private sector led Indo-British Partnership Network (IBPN). The main objectives of the IBPN are to provide a networking forum for all UK businesses interested in trade between India and the UK; to identify ways for UK firms to better access the India market and to inform government of the private sector's view of the barriers to trade between the two countries.

Inward Investment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he encourages foreign business to invest in the UK.

Ian Pearson: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is the key Government body tasked with attracting inward investment into the UK. It works in partnership with the Regional Development Agencies and the Devolved Administrations. UKTI is focusing its efforts on attracting high tech investments to ensure that the UK meets the challenges and opportunities of globalisation and remains the No. 1 location in Europe for inward investment.
	As part of the budget announcement on 22 March 2006, it was announced that UKTI is to take responsibility for co-ordinating a new drive to market the UK internationally as a business centre and to take the lead in a new strategy to attract Research and Development business into the UK.

Iraq (Trade Unions)

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the independence of trade unions in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I have received a number of representations concerning the independence of trade unions in Iraq.
	In June 2005, I met a delegation from the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions and the Iraqi Kurdistan General Workers during their visit to the UK. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met Iraqi trade union representatives at our Embassy in Baghdad in February 2006.
	Article 22 of the Iraqi Constitution guarantees the right of Iraqis to form and join unions and professional associations. However, the Iraqi transitional Government issued Decree 8750 on 8 August 2005, which froze union finances while a new law on trade unions was developed. Unfortunately the hiatus in forming a new government and Parliament has also delayed the legislative programme. The freeze on finances is therefore still in force.
	Our embassy in Baghdad raised our concerns about citizens' fundamental right to form trade unions with the Iraqi Minister for Industry in September 2005 and with the Ministry of Civil Society in November 2005. We will continue to raise this issue with the new government, when it has formed.

Israeli Air Force

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 537W, what the outcome was of the UK embassy in Tel Aviv raising on 22 March 2006 the issue of the Israeli Air Force operating low-flying aircraft over the Gaza Strip.

Kim Howells: At the meeting on 22 March 2006, our Embassy in Tel Aviv re-enforced our position on the effects of low flying aircraft. There have been no subsequent deliberate sonic booms. The last deliberate sonic boom over Gaza that we are aware of was on 2 January 2006.

Libya

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Libya on the detention of women and girls for social rehabilitation.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed the detention of women and girls for social rehabilitation with the Libyan Government. As part of our human rights work with Libya, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has funded a project providing guidance and training for senior managers and individual prison officers. The project will help to address the needs of women in Libyan prisons.

Marshall Plan

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums are being paid to the US Administration arising out of the Marshall Plan.

Ian Pearson: The UK completed repayment of aid loans under the Marshall Plan in 1987.

Nepal

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of (a) extortions and abuses perpetrated by Maoist insurgents in Nepal and (b) the importation of explosives and detonators into Nepal by such insurgents.

Kim Howells: The Maoists carry out widespread human rights abuses including torture, kidnap, rape, murder and extortion for money. These acts of abuse perpetrated against innocent civilians, including women and children. We condemn these acts of violence. In early April 2006 the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported that a large number of children were being used by the Maoists forces as helpers and porters during military operations. The OHCHR assessed that 60 civilians were abducted during March 2006, but OHCHR had seen the return of about 14 of those who were abducted by early April 2006.
	During the run up to Municipal elections in 8 February the Maoists killed at least two election candidates and abducted at least one other. Abductions and extortion continued throughout the period covered by the OHCHR report, though we have not seen a figure for such incidents.
	We are aware that the Maoist have been involved in importing explosives and detonators into Nepal. The Royal Nepalese Army seized over 5,000kg of commercial explosives and in excess of 30,000 commercial detonators in separate operations, in March 2006, along the Nepal-India border. We cannot judge what proportion of the overall total of Maoist imports this represents.

Parental Access (Germany)

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) diplomatic and consular staff in Germany have had with German authorities on child custody cases in Germany where British parents experience restrictions on legitimate access.

Kim Howells: There have been no recent discussions with the German authorities on this issue involving my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary or other Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers. The FCO provides appropriate consular assistance, when requested, to British nationals involved in disputes over child residence and contact, in conjunction with the Department for Constitutional Affairs as the central authority handling cases brought under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. This assistance may include consular staff contacting the relevant German authorities on individual cases. Officials have also attended meetings of a taskforce set up by the Federal Ministry of Justice in Germany to discuss such cases.

Parental Access (Germany)

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British parents have contacted his Department since 1990 regarding assistance with cases relating to access to children involved in custody disputes in the German courts.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Child Abduction Section, which was established in 2003, does not have full records of all such cases since 1990. The section does, however, have records of 19 cases concerning child residence or contact disputes in Germany since 2003, seven of which are classified as disputes over access. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mike O'Brien) to my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) on 7 November 2002, Official Report, column 638W, that outlined child contact cases dealt with by consular staff in Germany between 1997 and 2002.

Philippines

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make representations to the Philippine government concerning the parliamentarians trapped in their offices in Congress under threat of arrest;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the Philippine parliamentarians who are trapped in their offices in Congress under threat of arrest.

Ian Pearson: Charges have been laid against the parliamentarians in a Regional Trial Court. In response to questions about the case, the Philippine authorities have specifically assured the diplomatic community of their commitment to, and respect for, due process for all those facing charges in respect of the events leading to the imposition of a State of National Emergency in February. Therefore, at present, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans to make representations to the Philippine government.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the extent of the involvement of Salah Abdullah Gosh in human rights abuses in Darfur;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the relationship between Salah Abdullah Gosh and (a) the British security services and (b) the American security services on his immunity from prosecution for human rights abuses in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: We do not comment on individual cases or on intelligence matters. But the Government have made clear that there can be no impunity for any of those responsible for crimes committed in Darfur. We sponsored United Nations Security Council Resolution 1593, referring the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court, which has now begun its work.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) China and (b) Russia about the proposal to impose UN sanctions on perpetrators of violence in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The UK is a leading proponent of sanctions against those who violate human rights or impede the peace process in Darfur. We have identified several individuals from all sides to the conflict who we believe meet this criteria, and on 12 April proposed to the Security Council that they face targeted sanctions under Resolution 1591. Since then we have held discussions on an almost daily basis with our Security Council partners, including China and Russia, on the imposition of sanctions against these individuals. We will continue to press for sanctions against these and other such individuals who meet the criteria.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) financially and (b) military (i) unilateral and (ii) multilateral assistance the UK Government is prepared to give to enforce peace agreement for Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The Government stand ready to provide assistance in support of a peace agreement for Darfur. We pledged funding in excess of 250 million for humanitarian, development and other assistance to Sudan for the next two years at the Consortium Meeting in Paris in March 2006. We will allocate development, reconstruction and humanitarian assistance for Darfur once a peace agreement is reached. We are providing practical and financial support to the African Union Mission in Darfur. We have recently pledged a further 20 million, in addition to the 32 million already provided.

Sudan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the UK Government has made to the African Union on upholding the United Nations mandate in Sudan.

Ian Pearson: We welcome the decision by the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council on 10 March to support in principle hand-over of the AU Mission in Darfur to the UN and to request the Chairperson of the AU to work closely with the UN Secretary-General on joint planning. We are working with both the AU and the UN to support a smooth transition.

Terrorism (Compensation)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what compensation is available to (a) British citizens who are injured in terrorist attacks abroad and (b) the relatives of those killed; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Those injured abroad, or the relatives or dependants of someone killed abroad, are not currently eligible for compensation under the UK compensation schemes. The Government have been considering the issue of compensation in detail. This was made clear in a consultation paper about the criminal injuries compensation scheme and support for victims of crime which the Home Office issued on 7 December 2005, under the title Rebuilding Lives: supporting victims of crime. The Home Office will make an announcement in due course.
	My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget a 1 million initial endowment to a charitable fund to help the British victims of terrorism. The fund will provide rapid relief to meet the immediate financial needs of those caught up in a terrorist attack, whether in the UK or overseas. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working in consultation with the voluntary sector, partners in Government and victims' groups to finalise the details and will make a further announcement in due course.
	Separately, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has in place a package of immediate assistance measures to help victims of terrorism overseas and their families in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist incident overseas.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts on the UN Security Council on the merits of a resolution on violence and conflict in Uganda.

Ian Pearson: The UK has been actively involved in securing two UN Security Council Resolutions in 2006 (1653 and 1663) which have condemned the activities of militias and armed groups such as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). The LRA continue to attack civilians and UN and humanitarian personnel and commit human rights abuses in Uganda, and elsewhere in the region.
	On 19 April the Ugandan Foreign and Defence Ministers briefed the UN Security Council on measures to address the humanitarian and security problems caused by the LRA. Jan Egeland, UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, briefed the Security Council on 20 April following his recent trip to Uganda.
	The UN Secretariat has indicated that they will brief the Security Council on possible options for tackling the LRA on 26 April. Once this has taken place we will discuss with Security Council colleagues the best way to further international community engagement on this issue.

Uganda

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Uganda on reducing violence and conflict in Uganda.

Ian Pearson: We hold regular talks with the Government of Uganda on efforts to find a sustainable solution to the conflict in northern Uganda and alleviate the humanitarian situation for the 1.7 million people living in camps for internally displaced people.
	On 20 March my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Mr. Thomas), attended a ministerial meeting in Geneva where the conflict was discussed with the Ugandan Foreign Minister, Sam Kutesa.
	On 12 April the acting British high commissioner in Kampala met the Ugandan Foreign Minister and on 19 April officials from the UK's Mission to the United Nations in New York exchanged views on northern Uganda with the Ugandan Foreign and Defence Ministers in the UN Security Council.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to build the capacity of (a) Kyrgyzstan, (b) Tajikistan and (c) Kazakhstan to cope with the economic and political consequences of possible future instability in Uzbekistan, with particular reference to (i) assistance with crisis planning, (ii) management of refugee flows, (iii) improving policing and border security, (iv) providing emergency aid and (v) reducing these countries reliance on Uzbekistan for (A) energy and (B) transport.

Douglas Alexander: The EU encourages greater inter-regional co-operation through regular meetings with all of the countries of Central Asia. The most recent of these EU-Central Asia regional dialogue meetings took place in Kazakhstan on 7 April 2006. The EU supports the efforts of all the countries in the region to diversify their energy supplies. Regional transport co-operation has been identified as a key area in EU programmes in the region.
	As an Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) participating State, the UK supports the work of the OSCE in Central Asia as a primary instrument for early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. The OSCE field missions in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan are currently implementing projects related to border security, policing, trafficking and economic development. The OSCE Police Assistance Programme for Kyrgyzstan in 2006 includes coverage of the problems of refugees. The programme will include the compilation of a manual for police officers on the legal rights of refugees, training for police officers on handling refugee crises and technical equipment for police stations in the Osh border region.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to support (a) independent news gathering and (b) (i) human rights activists and (ii) journalists operating in Uzbekistan.

Douglas Alexander: Under our EU presidency, we led a sustained EU lobbying campaign on behalf of individuals in Uzbekistan who were harassed and imprisoned in relation to the events in Andizhan in May 2005. These included human rights defenders such as the journalist Saidajon Zainatbidinov from Andizhan.
	Our ambassador and his team in Tashkent are in regular contact with the international press and local independent journalists, as well as non-governmental organisations and other members of civil society. We support their work through a variety of projects and through training and educational support. We made representations to the Uzbek authorities over the closure of the BBC Office, Internews and Radio Liberty. We keep in close contact with the staff of the BBC Monitoring Office in Tashkent.
	Promotion of media freedom is also a key part of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) mandate in Uzbekistan. The OSCE centre in Tashkent runs a media programme focusing on professional development for journalists, media development and the promotion and protection of freedom of the media.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to support broadcasting into Uzbekistan from abroad with particular reference to news and educational programmes.

Douglas Alexander: We support a variety of activities by central and regional media outlets in the region, including media outlets in the regions bordering on Uzbekistan.
	Last year under the Global Conflict Prevention Fund, we spent 165,000 on a regional media project which provided training to media outlets, supported local publications, encouraged cross border information exchange and cross community special reports, election reporting, public debates and international awareness. The project increased the regional flow of information, and strengthened local networks. Another cross border media training programme supported by the UK encouraged media exchanges between Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
	Our embassies will continue to support media development as a key area of democratic reform.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to support journalism training in Uzbekistan and the surrounding region.

Douglas Alexander: Since 2003 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has contributed over 350,000 to a variety of media-based projects with a training component, including to promote cross-border media co-operation and strengthen the independent media in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
	Our embassies work closely with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) field missions in the region. The OSCE mission in Tashkent runs a media programme focussing on professional development for journalists, media development and the promotion and protection of freedom of the media. We also support the work of the OSCE mission in Tajikistan, where there is a resource centre for journalists which provides specialist literature, training, legal advice and supports independent publications.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to support (a) political activity, (b) civil society and (c) educational opportunities in Uzbekistan.

Douglas Alexander: Our ambassador and his team in Tashkent meet regularly with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other members of civil society and support their work through project funds where possible. We use the Chevening Scholarship and Fellowship programmes to provide capacity building in key areas of democratic reform.
	The embassy financed the annual conference for disabled peopled NGOs in Tashkent in March. This brought together around 50 local NGOs. The embassy has also funded a project in conjunction with a local NGO and the British Council to make an educational video for school children on the effects of our everyday lives on the environment.
	The British Council has been working with the Ministry of Public Education to produce a new generation of textbooks for secondary schools and to ensure that they are affordable and available to pupils around Uzbekistan.
	The British Council has also been working with the Ministry of Higher and Specialised Secondary Education to build close partnerships between vocational colleges and relevant businesses or industry in the design of vocational education.
	With the Ministry of Public Education, the British Council has been preparing a team of trainers representing all regions of Uzbekistan and a wide range of curriculum subjects to introduce the latest teaching techniques to teachers around the country.

Uzbekistan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of political instability in Uzbekistan on (a) European security and (b) stability and security in central Asia.

Douglas Alexander: We continue to follow closely the political situation in Uzbekistan. As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's new White Paper Active Diplomacy for a Changing World says, the peaceful transformation of the European continent which promotes security, prosperity and democracy depends upon maintaining the EU's active commitment to engage with neighbours. European countries and the wider international community have an interest in stability in Uzbekistan and the region. We believe the best way of maintaining stability in the region is by encouraging substantive democratic and economic reform.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: The human rights situation in Zimbabwe remains of great concern. We will continue to pressure the Government of Zimbabwe to restore respect for democratic values, human rights and the rule of law.

Zimbabwe

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the safety of failed asylum seekers returned to Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: We continue to assess that individuals repatriated from the United Kingdom are not systematically singled out for abuse by the Zimbabwean authorities. Our embassy in Harare maintains close and regular links with Zimbabwean and international human rights non-governmental organisations, and other relevant institutions, to ensure that we are in the best possible position to know and take appropriate action if there are any genuine cases of failed asylum seekers being mistreated on their return.
	We remain concerned at widespread human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. We will continue to provide protection to those individuals who genuinely need it through the asylum process.

Zimbabwe

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the level of that country's investment in Zimbabwe.

Ian Pearson: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not discussed this subject with the Chinese Foreign Minister, although senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have raised concerns about Zimbabwe with their Chinese counterparts.
	The UK Permanent Representative to the UN raised our concerns about the political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe at the United Nations on 19 December 2005, when the Security Council discussed the subject for the third time. As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said in his Abuja speech on 14 February, we would like to see China's engagement in Africa support democratic and accountable governance and we will work closely with China to that end.

TREASURY

Avian Influenza

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the expected economic consequences of an avian influenza pandemic in the UK.

Des Browne: The Government are closely monitoring the risks posed by a potential avian influenza pandemic and is assessing all relevant aspects, including the possible economic effects.
	The economic implications of an avian influenza outbreak would depend on the nature, extent and duration of an outbreak, and associated policy responses.

Births

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many live births there were in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 in each primary care trust in England.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Colin Mowl, dated April 2006
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your question about how many livebirths there were in (a) 2002, (b) 2003 and (c) 2004 in each primary care trust in England. I am replying in her absence. (65146)
	The figures requested are shown in the attached table and have also been placed in the House of Commons Library. They are based on the place of mother's usual residence irrespective of where the birth occurred. To allow comparability between years, they all relate to the areas covered by primary care organisations in October 2005.
	
		Live births by mother's usual residence 200204, primary care organisation areas(19) in England
		
			  Year of birth 
			 Primary care organisation 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 New Forest 1401 1508 1532 
			 Norwich 1271 1367 1528 
			 South Gloucestershire 2756 2871 2905 
			 Havering 2257 2366 2559 
			 Kingston 1816 1859 2041 
			 Bromley 3401 3651 3589 
			 Greenwich Teaching 3345 3448 3717 
			 Barnet 4176 4332 4482 
			 South Manchester 1626 1706 1863 
			 Daventry and South Northamptonshire 1101 1167 1183 
			 North Peterborough 1419 1455 1545 
			 South Peterborough 1140 1165 1314 
			 Tendring 1199 1212 1190 
			 Epping Forest 1338 1410 1428 
			 Southend on Sea 1891 1911 1944 
			 Central Derby 1074 1173 1105 
			 Mansfield District 1027 1074 1182 
			 North East Lincolnshire 1688 1760 1902 
			 Newark and Sherwood 1054 1070 1211 
			 Hillingdon 3292 3333 3473 
			 Airedale 1536 1509 1542 
			 Enfield 3984 4086 4222 
			 Barking and Dagenham 2419 2594 2751 
			 City and Hackney Teaching 4144 4323 4423 
			 Tower Hamlets 3844 3939 4086 
			 Newham 4939 5103 5170 
			 Haringey Teaching 3739 3894 4017 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2110 2143 2184 
			 North Dorset 781 712 801 
			 Bournemouth Teaching 1401 1479 1495 
			 Bradford City Teaching 3017 3001 3003 
			 Bradford South and West 1770 1915 1981 
			 North Bradford 979 1069 1160 
			 Doncaster Central 832 887 883 
			 Central Manchester 2260 2393 2594 
			 Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley 2539 2611 2685 
			 Herefordshire 1565 1668 1693 
			 Hertsmere 1084 1086 1151 
			 Milton Keynes 2909 3171 3224 
			 North Manchester 1772 1856 2145 
			 South Hams and West Devon 931 959 967 
			 Trafford South 1309 1348 1350 
			 West Norfolk 1555 1545 1669 
			 Solihull 1860 2042 1992 
			 West Lincolnshire 2175 2328 2273 
			 Lincolnshire South West Teaching 1538 1654 1723 
			 Carlisle and District 1151 1217 1231 
			 Eden Valley 565 615 650 
			 West Cumbria 1232 1323 1333 
			 Newcastle 2941 2895 2918 
			 North Tyneside 2042 2101 2160 
			 Hartlepool 1010 1065 1073 
			 Harlow 1029 1094 1119 
			 Morecambe Bay 2715 2956 2993 
			 North Hampshire 2440 2487 2534 
			 Isle of Wight 1078 1107 1185 
			 West Wiltshire 1313 1389 1386 
			 South Wiltshire 1166 1219 1244 
			 Newbury and Community 1073 1130 1127 
			 Reading 2541 2612 2674 
			 Slough 1864 1983 2029 
			 Wokingham 1637 1653 1797 
			 Vale of Aylesbury 2299 2315 2411 
			 Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth 1541 1762 1732 
			 Wyre Forest 988 1011 1017 
			 North East Oxfordshire 908 949 1006 
			 Cherwell Vale 1448 1489 1490 
			 Oxford City 1724 1836 1908 
			 South East Oxfordshire 811 827 890 
			 South West Oxfordshire 2241 2328 2384 
			 North Tees 2013 2115 2117 
			 Selby and York 2687 2769 2874 
			 East Yorkshire 1590 1572 1669 
			 Yorkshire Wolds and Coast 1252 1322 1367 
			 Eastern Hull 1361 1460 1606 
			 West Hull 1436 1510 1606 
			 Eastern Wakefield 1878 2021 2067 
			 Wakefield West 1431 1525 1625 
			 Mid-Hampshire 1731 1823 1911 
			 Chesterfield 942 1036 1061 
			 Gedling 1073 1077 1139 
			 Amber Valley 1166 1132 1180 
			 North Sheffield 1535 1642 1805 
			 North Lincolnshire 1560 1590 1665 
			 North Eastern Derbyshire 1564 1647 1714 
			 Melton, Rutland and Harborough 1355 1451 1410 
			 Leicester City West 1533 1756 1877 
			 Doncaster East 1153 1198 1226 
			 Doncaster West 1131 1213 1316 
			 Nottingham City 3325 3537 3518 
			 Sheffield West 887 984 1012 
			 Sheffield South West 1137 1224 1276 
			 South East Sheffield 1920 2044 2059 
			 Erewash 1211 1140 1248 
			 Bassetlaw 1043 1078 1133 
			 Broxtowe  Hucknall 1333 1375 1357 
			 Greater Derby 1732 1762 1897 
			 Eastern Leicester 2473 2614 2662 
			 Plymouth Teaching 2574 2722 2781 
			 Chorley and South Ribble 2088 2204 2438 
			 West Lancashire 1066 1142 1179 
			 Heywood and Middleton 817 825 855 
			 Salford 2584 2632 2736 
			 Trafford North H65 1167 1248 
			 Stockport 2956 2941 3154 
			 Bebington and West Wirral 1079 1097 1128 
			 Southport and Formby 935 1045 1029 
			 Ashfield 942 921 970 
			 Rushcliffe 1051 1076 1126 
			 East Hampshire 1647 1739 1758 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching 2187 2225 2297 
			 South West Kent 2024 2087 2116 
			 Bexhill and Rother 654 674 661 
			 Hastings and St. Leonards 960 952 994 
			 Mid-Sussex 1406 1444 1483 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 1672 1633 1623 
			 West of Cornwall 1530 1460 1488 
			 South and East Dorset 1089 1214 1151 
			 South West Dorset 1247 1227 1233 
			 North Devon 1371 1367 1488 
			 Exeter 1282 1283 1327 
			 East Devon 854 920 947 
			 Mid Devon 930 978 980 
			 Somerset Coast 1230 1357 1330 
			 Mendip 1090 1121 1165 
			 Teignbridge 886 948 959 
			 Southern Norfolk 1903 1970 1998 
			 Bracknell Forest 1323 1425 1461 
			 Windsor, Ascot and Maidenhead 1685 1746 1717 
			 Chiltern and South Bucks 1572 1686 1710 
			 Wycombe 1749 1769 1774 
			 Blackwater Valley and Hart 2104 2123 2217 
			 Hyndburn and Ribble Valley 1415 1544 1522 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale 2819 2912 3133 
			 North Liverpool 1317 1350 1269 
			 Luton 3114 3085 3181 
			 Bedford 1805 1804 1868 
			 Bedfordshire Heartlands 2730 2798 2879 
			 Huntingdonshire 1672 1700 1686 
			 Welwyn Hatfield 1008 1086 1144 
			 North Hertfordshire and Stevenage 2148 2326 2363 
			 South East Hertfordshire 1925 1995 1999 
			 Royston, Buntingford and Bishop's Stortford 834 831 844 
			 Maldon and South Chelmsford 868 854 862 
			 Colchester 1620 1727 1874 
			 Uttlesford 720 726 718 
			 Billericay, Brentwood and Wickford 1429 1442 1508 
			 Thurrock 1931 1982 2062 
			 Basildon 1402 1473 1453 
			 Great Yarmouth 903 993 1001 
			 Watford and Three Rivers 1947 2071 2156 
			 Dacorum 1554 1666 1579 
			 St. Albans and Harpenden 1693 1805 1740 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2587 2558 2624 
			 Birkenhead and Wallasey 2193 2407 2393 
			 Cheshire West 1463 1500 1563 
			 Central Cheshire 2629 2797 2988 
			 Eastern Cheshire 1784 1825 1899 
			 Ellesmere Port and Neston 868 837 856 
			 Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire 1178 1254 1223 
			 Rotherham 2734 2871 2931 
			 East Lincolnshire 2326 2309 2492 
			 Central Liverpool 2676 2788 2773 
			 South Liverpool 930 965 1002 
			 Preston 1648 1791 1862 
			 Fylde 573 567 600 
			 Wyre 889 984 1020 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan 3316 3381 3626 
			 Leeds West 1336 1317 1377 
			 Leeds North East 1177 1144 1286 
			 East Leeds 2022 2135 2185 
			 South Leeds 1811 1982 1986 
			 Leeds North West 1516 1520 1597 
			 High Peak and Dales 877 895 960 
			 Blackpool 1403 1549 1686 
			 Bolton 3170 3330 3403 
			 Staffordshire Moorlands 959 1009 1023 
			 Dudley South 2002 1975 2083 
			 Dudley Beacon and Castle 1414 1369 1431 
			 Newcastle-under-Lyme 862 984 1053 
			 Ealing 4436 4480 4767 
			 Hounslow 3251 3305 3638 
			 Halton 1356 1458 1544 
			 Warrington 2208 2203 2291 
			 St. Helens 1809 1969 1980 
			 Knowsley 1734 1736 1898 
			 Oldham 3053 3093 3195 
			 Calderdale 2220 2344 2466 
			 North Kirklees 2483 2568 2584 
			 Durham Dales 832 827 955 
			 Darlington 1139 1179 1254 
			 Hinckley and Bosworth 1138 1251 1282 
			 Charnwood and North West Leicestershire 2442 2539 2577 
			 South Leicestershire 1610 1629 1666 
			 Barnsley 2340 2409 2527 
			 Bristol North 2754 2884 3103 
			 Bristol South and West 1954 2139 2176 
			 Cambridge City 1036 1073 1185 
			 South Cambridgeshire 1481 1512 1510 
			 East Cambridgeshire and Fenland 1506 1670 1551 
			 Broadland 1100 1157 1150 
			 North Norfolk 735 780 798 
			 Chelmsford 1356 1441 1429 
			 Castle Point and Rochford 1505 1600 1634 
			 Ipswich 1672 1773 1913 
			 Suffolk Coastal 787 919 876 
			 Central Suffolk 885 968 1048 
			 Waveney 1159 1247 1208 
			 Suffolk West 2385 2526 2613 
			 Bury 2098 2180 2320 
			 Rochdale 1827 1872 1919 
			 South Somerset 1448 1529 1511 
			 Taunton Deane 1062 1098 1093 
			 Swindon 2326 2404 2479 
			 Kennet and North Wiltshire 2215 2341 2248 
			 Brent Teaching 4153 4375 4326 
			 Harrow 2564 2848 2870 
			 Camden 2841 2944 3047 
			 Islington 2508 2671 2676 
			 Croydon 4370 4589 4869 
			 Derwentside 840 874 899 
			 Durham and Chester-le-Street 1352 1330 1342 
			 Easington 987 921 1103 
			 Sedgefield 892 974 1045 
			 Gateshead 2012 2023 2128 
			 South Tyneside 1467 1523 1540 
			 Hambleton and Richmondshire 1143 1251 1212 
			 Craven, Harrogate and Rural District 1982 1961 2022 
			 Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale 1377 1493 1548 
			 Sunderland Teaching 2930 3012 2971 
			 Middlesbrough 2140 2233 2323 
			 Langbaurgh 912 1000 1035 
			 East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey 2800 2922 2885 
			 East Surrey 1804 1937 1891 
			 North and East Cornwall 1340 1424 1449 
			 Central Cornwall 1708 1792 1839 
			 Poole 1655 1804 1877 
			 Cheltenham and Tewkesbury 1610 1655 1670 
			 West Gloucestershire 2432 2565 2532 
			 Cotswold and Vale 1755 1866 1815 
			 Southampton City 2484 2556 2603 
			 Maidstone Weald 2606 2739 2757 
			 Medway 3259 3261 3265 
			 Swale 1132 1103 1163 
			 Guildford and Waverley 2263 2349 2492 
			 North Surrey 2231 2430 2375 
			 Surrey Heath and Woking 2439 2594 2548 
			 Adur, Arun and Worthing 2102 2184 2292 
			 Western Sussex 1773 1908 1972 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 2156 2237 2204 
			 Westminster 2551 2764 2734 
			 Lambeth 4377 4787 4752 
			 Southwark 4138 4346 4453 
			 Lewisham 3845 3932 4072 
			 Wandsworth 4080 4359 4345 
			 Tameside and Glossop 2738 2813 2973 
			 Huddersfield Central 1720 1823 1884 
			 South Huddersfield 817 864 921 
			 Ashford 1292 1334 1309 
			 Canterbury and Coastal 1618 1671 1619 
			 Bury 2098 2180 2320 
			 Rochdale 1827 1872 1919 
			 South Somerset 1448 1529 1511 
			 Taunton Deane 1062 1098 1093 
			 Swindon 2326 2404 2479 
			 Kennet and North Wiltshire 2215 2341 2248 
			 Brent Teaching 4153 4375 4326 
			 Harrow 2564 2848 2870 
			 Camden 2841 2944 3047 
			 Islington 2508 2671 2676 
			 Croydon 4370 4589 4869 
			 Derwentside 840 874 899 
			 Durham and Chester-le-Street 1352 1330 1342 
			 Easington 987 921 1103 
			 Sedgefield 892 974 1045 
			 Gateshead 2012 2023 2128 
			 South Tyneside 1467 1523 1540 
			 Hambleton and Richmondshire 1143 1251 1212 
			 East Kent Coastal 2290 2385 2479 
			 Shepway 975 985 1031 
			 Brighton and Hove City 2740 3043 2901 
			 Eastbourne Downs 1511 1634 1642 
			 Sussex Downs and Weald 1405 1511 1514 
			 Northamptonshire Heartlands 3144 3311 3453 
			 Northampton 2598 2809 2758 
			 Fareham and Gosport 1854 1944 2023 
			 Eastleigh and Test Valley South 1600 1634 1717 
			 South Birmingham 4073 4441 4499 
			 Shropshire County 2740 2837 2751 
			 Walsall Teaching 3238 3337 3417 
			 South Sefton 1573 1712 1698 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 2413 2548 2584 
			 Sutton and Merton 4665 4982 5049 
			 North Somerset 1905 1921 2044 
			 Rugby 968 990 1044 
			 Crawley 1269 1326 1372 
			 Horsham and Chanctonbury 1036 1047 1099 
			 Coventry Teaching 3610 3801 3987 
			 North Stoke 1474 1531 1674 
			 South Stoke 1450 1480 1626 
			 Oldbury and Smethwick 1255 1339 1379 
			 Rowley Regis and Tipton 1274 1269 1356 
			 Wednesbury and West Bromwich 1271 1351 1369 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1921 1912 2096 
			 East Staffordshire 1317 1321 1380 
			 Cannock Chase 1389 1432 1400 
			 South Western Staffordshire 1656 1738 1932 
			 North Warwickshire 1908 1951 2128 
			 South Warwickshire 2425 2448 2599 
			 Redditch and Bromsgrove 1740 1779 1972 
			 South Worcestershire 2805 2980 2989 
			 Wolverhampton City 2805 3055 3069 
			 North Birmingham 1632 1753 1868 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching 5759 5958 5913 
			 Eastern Birmingham 3134 3173 3440 
			 Redbridge 3230 3377 3483 
			 Waltham Forest 3566 3769 3957 
			 Northumberland 2762 2934 2952 
			 Witham, Braintree and Halstead 1539 1578 1666 
			 Bexley 2517 2638 2699 
			 Torbay 1152 1267 1292 
			 
			 England(20) 585709 589851 607184 
		
	
	(19) For comparability, 2005 PCO boundaries are used for all years of birth.
	(20) The England totals differ slightly from the sum of the PCOs (by 2 for 2002 and by 1 for 2004) because of the use of 2005-based postcode assignment.

Child Tax Credit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the savings to the Exchequer from tapering away the family element of the child tax credit for incomes between 30,000 and 38,000; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The current second income threshold is 50,000. The estimated saving from reducing the second income threshold to 30,000, holding all other rates constant, is 0.8 billion. Around 1.5 million families would see their tax credit award reduced as a result of such a change.

Combined Cadet Forces

George Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with Defence Ministers on plans to create branches of the Combined Cadet Force in state schools which he announced in February 2006.

Des Browne: Treasury Ministers have discussions with Defence Ministers on a variety of issues on a regular basis.

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2006, Official Report, column 1419W, to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on council tax, on what dates each of the current 66 value significant codes were first collected

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	Value significant codes (VSCs) record the existence of a feature that may affect valuebut whether a particular feature does affect value in any individual case is a question of fact or degree.
	The capability to input VSCs electronically was introduced from March 2003, at which time there were 13 codes. These were expanded to 66 in January 2005. Information about features that are value significant has always been collected as part of the process of arriving at fair bandings for council tax purposes, but has not previously been recorded electronically. However there is no mass data collection process under way, nor are VSCs being used to amend existing council tax bands.

EU Budget

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will be in a position to introduce the legislation necessary to implement the EU budget agreed on 15 and 16 December 2005.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 31 January 2006, Official Report, column 400W, to the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink).

Gold Sales

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the loss on gold sales by the Bank of England since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The decision to rebalance the reserves portfolio by selling gold was a long-term investment decision not a short-term attempt to play the market. Reducing the riskiness of the portfolio can only be assessed meaningfully in the medium to long term because short-term fluctuations in assets prices could mask the benefits of risk reduction.

Income Tax

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people with (a) salaries and (b) income generating business who did not earn enough to pay income tax in each of the last 10 years for which records are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The estimated number of people with self-employment income who have no income tax liability is shown in the following table for the period 199697 to 200506. Data on the number of employees who did not earn enough to pay income tax are not held.
	
		Thousand
		
			 Year(21) Number of self-employed non-taxpayers(22) 
		
		
			 199697 606 
			 199798 638 
			 199899 642 
			 19992000 747 
			 200001 614 
			 200102 863 
			 200203 884 
			 200304 822 
			 200405(23) 774 
			 200506(23) 779 
		
	
	(21) Estimates obtained from the survey of personal incomes. Estimates for later years should be more accurate and subject to less sampling variation, due to the sample size of the survey increasing from around 50,000 in 199697 to over 400,000 by 200203.
	(22) A person can be both employed and self-employed in the tax year.
	(23) Estimates from the 200304 survey of personal incomes and projected forward in line with March 2006 Budget assumptions.

London Olympics

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what systems are in place to collect tax from foreign contractors used for work on the 2012 Olympics.

Dawn Primarolo: The systems and rules for foreign contractors used on Olympics related projects are the same as those for foreign contractors working on non-Olympics related projects.

Lung Cancer

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new cases of lung cancer there have been in each of the last six years, broken down by region.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 April 2006
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many new cases of lung cancer there have been in each of the last six years, broken down by region.
	The most recent available figures for newly diagnosed cases (incidence) of cancer are for 2003. Figures by Government Office
	Region for the years 19982003 are given in the attached table.
	
		Newly diagnosed cases of lung cancer(24) by Government office region, 19982003
		
			 Government office region 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 North East 2,454 2,448 2,292 2,356 2,335 2,214 
			 North West 5,364 5,365 5,326 5,113 4,997 5,171 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 3,765 3,640 3,718 3,611 3,650 3,635 
			 East Midlands 2,497 2,632 2,621 2,535 2,463 2,505 
			 West Midlands 3,291 3,338 3,161 3,105 3,146 3,128 
			 East of England 2,954 3,028 2,841 2,885 2,965 2,810 
			 London 4,120 3,873 3,983 3,734 3,537 3,570 
			 South East 4,495 4,454 4,365 4,298 4,177 4,081 
			 South West 2,721 3,068 2,783 2,903 2,708 2,688 
		
	
	(24) International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C33-C34.
	Source:
	Office for National Statistics

Ministerial Flights

Nick Harvey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether air passenger duty is payable on ministerial flights on official business.

John Healey: Air passenger duty (APD) is payable by aircraft operators that are defined as Air Transport Undertakings under the Air Navigation Order 1982. APD is charged on the number of passengers on board a chargeable aircraft on departure from a UK airport. This includes ministerial flights on official business when commercial flights are used.
	Full details of eligibility to pay APD are set out in HM Revenue and Customs Public Notice 550, which is available on their website (www.hmrc.gov.uk)

Online Goods Declaration

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people used the free online service by which traders can declare goods to HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC provide a range of on line communications channels for which we do not charge, enabling our customers or their representatives to submit declarations to us in a way that best suits their business needs. CHIEF is our main frame computer for the processing of third country import/export declarations, it is used by 150,000 customers or their representatives and processes in excess of 20,000,000 declarations per annumtrade take up of our electronic CHIEF services is 99.9 per cent.. Channels to CHIEF include EDI/e-mail, a web service and XML for exports. We also maintain a manual presentation facility for those that are not e-enabled.

Online Goods Declaration

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment was made of commercial companies already operating in the same field before HM Revenue and Customs launched the free online declaration service.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC have an established and comprehensive customer consultation programme. HMRC have actively engaged with individuals and representatives of all those working in the online services area and customers who use the services provided. Ongoing consultation is an essential element of the HMRC online and EU Change programmes, providing suppliers and users with the opportunity to comment on and shape our technical products. Communications mediums/routes are implemented in accordance with our Channels Strategy, focussing on meeting customer needs and making it easier for our customers to comply whilst driving take up of online services.

Parish Councils

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that parish meetings have the same VAT status in relation to works carried out on their behalf as parish councils.

Ivan Lewis: Parish meetings, unlike parish councils, are not regarded as local authorities. The question of extending the VAT relief given to local authorities to parish meetings has been looked at many times. In general, the amounts of tax involved would be exceeded by the cost of administration and processing each claim. For this reason, successive Governments have concluded that a change in the law would result in disproportionate costs and could not be justified.
	I have instructed my officials to explore with parish meetings, relevant representative bodies and other stakeholders whether this remains the case.
	However, a different solution is possible. I understand that, under Section 9 of the Local Government Act 1972, a parish meeting can request its district council to establish a parish council for the parish, which is able to recover VAT under the provisions of Section 33 of the VAT Act 1994.

Pensions (Tax Relief)

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the number of people who would be affected if pension contributions were allowable for tax relief only against the basic rate of income tax;
	(2)  if he will estimate the effect on Government revenues of allowing relief on pension contributions only at the basic rate of income tax.

Dawn Primarolo: Around 2 million taxpayers would be affected if tax relief on their pension contributions were limited to the basic rate of income tax.
	The estimated yield from restricting income tax relief on employee and self-employed pension contributions to the basic rate is 1.5 billion in 200405. The yield from restricting employer contributions is around 3 billion. This estimate assumes that the proportion of total employer contributions relating to higher rate taxpayers is the same as that for employees. The estimates take no account of any behavioural effects that are likely to result from such rule changes. Nor do they account for any knock-on implications for the taxation of pension payments should full relief on contributions be withdrawn.
	The information is based on the 200304 Survey of Personal Incomes projected to 200405.

PFI/PPP Contracts

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in Table 1.10 and Tables 8.10 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2005, Cm 6521, the capital includes the capital expenditure elements of private finance initiative and public private partnership contracts.

Des Browne: PFI/PPP deals may be on or off the government's balance sheet depending on where the balance of risks in the project lies. The decision as to whether a deal is treated as on or off balance sheet is taken by the National Audit Office in the case of central government projects, and the Audit Commission in the instance of local government projects.
	Where the NAO or Audit Commission judge that projects are on balance sheet, Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) capital expenditure includes the capital expenditure imputed to the public sector, where appropriate for the coverage of each statistical table. For off balance sheet projects, where the asset economically as well as legally belongs to the private sector, the capital expenditure is the private sector's and is not included in PESA 2005, the same as in previous years.

Public Sector Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2006, Official Report, column 388, on public sector pensions, and the technical note placed in the Library, if he will break down the amount referred to in paragraph 8 by scheme; how the error came to be made; and what steps have been taken to prevent a recurrence.

Des Browne: Prior Year Adjustments of 6 billion recorded in the scheme accounts for 200405 break down as follows:
	
		
			   billion 
		
		
			 Armed Forces Pension Scheme -0.4 
			 NHS Pension Scheme (EW) 3.0 
			 NHS Pension Scheme (Scotland) 3.5 
			 Teachers Pension Scheme (EW) -0.5 
			 Total 5.6 
		
	
	These adjustments arise because new data became available which were not taken into account in earlier estimates. These primarily related to deferred pensions and guaranteed minimum pensions in NHSPS (England and Wales). Details for the other schemes are given in their resource accounts: Armed Forces (HC 286), Teachers Pension Scheme (HC 627).
	Responsibility for NHSPS (Scotland) is devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
	Schemes keep their data and administration systems under regular review.

Road Fuel Prices

David Amess: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received requesting that the price of (a) petrol and (b) diesel be reduced; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The Chancellor receives many representations on a wide range of subjects including fuel duty levels.
	These are considered carefully in the context of his Budget statement.

Smuggling (Northern Ireland)

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions there were in relation to cross-border fuel smuggling in Northern Ireland in the 200506 financial year; how many prosecutions were successful; what the names were of the persons prosecuted in cases in which all proceedings are complete; and what penalties were imposed.

John Healey: The latest details of prosecutions were published in HMRC Annual Report 200405 in which the prosecution details relate to all types of hydrocarbon oils fraud and smuggling, including cross-border smuggling. Prosecution figures for 200506 will be published in HMRC's Annual Report 200506.

Smuggling (Northern Ireland)

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fuel tankers were seized in Northern Ireland in the 200506 financial year as a result of fuel smuggling.

John Healey: The HM Revenue and Customs Annual Report records the total number of vehicles seized as a consequence of fuel related offences. This number is not broken down into sub categories. The Annual Report for 200506 has not yet been published.

Stamp Duty

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what period the stamp duty lease calculator was unavailable to users as a consequence of the Budget; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The online Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) lease calculator tool, available through HMRC's website and offering customers an indicative calculation of the SDLT charge on the grant of a new lease, was temporarily withdrawn for 12 working days following the Chancellor's Budget Statement on 22 March 2006. The Budget change raised the starting Stamp Duty Land Tax threshold of 1 per cent. from 120,000 to 125,000 for all residential transactions including the grant of a new lease. The calculator required revisions to ensure it provided a robust service for those customers who needed it. While the lease duty calculator was offline HMRC invited practitioners to phone their enquiry line where their operators would make the calculation for them.

Stamp Duty

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many penalties were issued for delays in filing stamp duty returns in each year since 2001.

Ivan Lewis: The Inland Revenue (since April 2005, HMRC) has issued the following number of penalties on late-filed stamp duty and stamp duty land tax cases as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 200102 20,609 
			 200203 14,916 
			 200304 6,889 
			 200405 82,302 
			 200506 161,016

Stamp Duty

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many penalties were issued for delays in filing stamp duty returns in 200405 where the subsequent filing demonstrated stamp duty payable to be nil.

Ivan Lewis: In 200405 the Inland Revenue issued 82,302 penalty notices for late filed stamp duty land tax (SDLT) and stamp duty cases. The Inland Revenue did not record how many of those notices were for transactions where the SDLT or stamp duty payable was nil.

Stamp Duty

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the (a) functionality and (b) ease of completion of stamp duty returns; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Both issues are regularly reviewed by practitioners and HMRC in the Stamp Tax Working Together Group. Changes made in the summer of 2005, as a result of discussions with the law societies, were welcomed by, for example, the Law Society of England and Wales. Use of HMRC's online filing facility provides the simplest and quickest method of completing Stamp Duty Land Tax Returns.

Suicide Statistics

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals have died as a consequence of their ulnar artery being severed in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 April 2006
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many individuals have died as a consequence of their ulnar arteries being severed in each year from 1997. (65172)
	The most recent year for which figures are available is 2004. The attached table shows the number of deaths where the main injury was to the ulnar artery in England and Wales for the years 1997 to 2004.
	
		Number of deaths from injury to the ulnar artery(25), England and Wales, 1997 to 2004(26)
		
			  Number of deaths 
		
		
			 1997 0 
			 1998 1 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 1 
			 2003 1 
			 2004 1 
		
	
	(25) The cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) code 903.3 for the years 1997 to 2000, and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes S55.0 and S65.0 for the years 2001 to 2004.
	(26) Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Suicide Statistics

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals died as a consequence of suicide through the slitting of a wrist or wrists in each year from 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 April 2006
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many individuals died as a consequence of suicide through the slitting of a wrist or wrists in each year from 1997. (65193)
	The most recent year for which figures are available for England and Wales is 2004. It is not possible to tabulate mortality data that exactly fits the cause of death category requested. The closest, shown in the attached table, contains the number of deaths with an underlying cause of suicide or injury of undetermined intent from contact with a sharp object by type of injury sustained for the years 1997 to 2004.
	
		Number of deaths from suicide and injury of undetermined intent from contact with a sharp object(27) by injury sustained, England and Wales, 1997 to 2004(28)
		
			 ICD-9 1997 1998 1999 2000 
		
		
			 Injury to other and unspecified blood vessels of upper extremity 0 1 0 1 
			 Injury to radial blood vessels 3 1 2 5 
			 Multiple and unspecified open wound of upper limb 1 4 2 2 
			 Open wound of elbow, forearm or wrist 16 26 25 32 
			 Other injury 57 58 57 59 
			 Total(29) 77 90 86 99 
		
	
	
		
			 ICD-10 2001 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Injury of blood vessels at forearm level 9 2 5 6 
			 Injury of blood vessels at wrist and hand level 2 3 5 2 
			 Open wound of forearm 1 3 1 6 
			 Open wound of wrist and hand 10 12 20 23 
			 Other injury 66 85 95 91 
			 Total(29) 88 105 126 128 
		
	
	(27) The underlying cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes E956 and E986 for the years 1997 to 2000 and the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes XI8 and Y28 for the years 2001 to 2004.
	(28) Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year.
	(29) All suicides using sharp objects, irrespective of where the cut was made.

Sun Lotion (VAT)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make representations to the EU to enable him to introduce a zero rate of VAT on sun lotion.

Dawn Primarolo: Under agreements with our European partners we can keep our existing VAT zero rates, but we may not extend them or introduce new ones. This is the case for all member states that retain zero rates. It is therefore not possible to introduce a zero rate of VAT for sun lotion.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when (a) HM Revenue and Customs officials and (b) Ministers were first made aware of identity fraud in the tax credit system; and how many suspected cases of identity fraud there were as of (i) 31 March 2005, (ii) 30 June 2005 and (iii) 30 September 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my written answer of 10 January 2006, Official Report, columns 55051W, and my letter to the Treasury Committee of 9 March. Information relating to suspected cases of identity fraud is not held in the form requested.

Taxation

Terry Rooney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to (a) calculate and (b) publish marginal tax rate tables for disabled people.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of all taxpayers in each income tax band can be found at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/2_1_dec05.pdf.
	This table uses data from the Survey of Personal Incomes (SPI). It is not possible to replicate this table for disabled people only because the SPI does not collect information on whether someone is disabled or not.
	However, with the exception of those eligible for blind person's allowance in income tax, disabled people face the same marginal income tax rates as non-disabled people for a given level of taxable income.

NORTHERN IRELAND

IRA

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the IRA's commitment to exclusively peaceful and democratic means.

Shaun Woodward: The IMC Report published earlier today states it is
	their absolutely clear view that the IRA leadership has committed itself to following a peaceful path.

Decommissioning

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the quantity of arms and explosives put beyond use by the Provisional IRA in each of the acts of decommissioning that took place between October 2001 and September 2005.

Peter Hain: In September last year the IICD witnessed a momentous act of decommissioning, and declared in January that all the arms under [the IRA's] control were decommissioned in September, under its supervision.
	The 10th Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission published earlier today states that any weapons reported as having been retained would have been withheld under local control despite the instructions of the leadership. It goes on to say that the amount of un-surrendered material was not significant in comparison to what was decommissioned.

Northern Ireland Executive

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it a condition for all parties serving in the Northern Ireland Executive to make a declaration of support for the police.

David Hanson: The pledge of office which all Ministers must affirm before taking up posts already requires a commitment to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means.
	In addition, amendments to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to facilitate consideration of Independent Monitoring Commission recommendations provide sufficient safeguards where Ministers and parties fail to observe the pledge of office.

Northern Ireland Executive

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to bring forward proposals to revise the pledge of office in the Northern Ireland Act 1998 for Ministers serving in the Northern Ireland Executive.

David Hanson: We would consider legislating to amend the pledge of office as part of a package of changes to the Strands 13 institutions of the Belfast Agreement in the context of a commitment by all to enter an inclusive power-sharing Executive.

Victims Commissioner

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he plans to appoint a permanent Victims Commissioner when the current interim appointment comes to an end.

Angela Smith: The Government will bring forward legislation to establish the post of Commissioner for Victims and Survivors. The appointment of the Commissioner will be made as soon as practicable after the legislation comes into force. The appointment will be subject to the public appointment process.

Ageing Initiative

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the effectiveness to date of the ageing in an inclusive society initiative.

Angela Smith: The older people's strategy, ''Ageing in an Inclusive Society, which was launched in March 2005, includes an implementation plan for 200506 which identifies actions for Northern Ireland Government Departments aimed at, amongst other things, improving the services of older people.
	Good progress has been made throughout the year on implementing these actions and a mid-year progress report was placed in the Libraries of the House. The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister is carrying out an end of year review and will publish a report on the Department's website. Copies of the report will also be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Avian Influenza

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dead (a) wild and (b) domesticated birds have been tested for avian influenza in Northern Ireland in each of the past 12 months.

Angela Smith: For the period April 2005 to March 2006 the figures requested are as follows:
	
		
			 Year/month Number of dead wild birds tested Number of dead domesticated birds tested 
		
		
			 2005   
			 April 0 0 
			 May 0 0 
			 June 0 49 
			 July 1 28 
			 August 7 29 
			 September 0 23 
			 October 2 20 
			 November 44 14 
			 December 21 46 
			
			 2006   
			 January 8 3 
			 February 31 14 
			 March 9 10 
		
	
	All test results were negative for avian influenza.

Civil Servants (Welfare Rating)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants have been given a welfare rating on transfer lists in each Department in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Department 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
		
		
			 DHSSPS 0 1 2 4 3 
			 DETI 0 1 0 4 2 
			 DCAL 0 1 1 0 2 
			 DE 2 3 1 1 4 
			 DOE 2 3 6 16 7 
			 DARD 4 12 17 15 20 
			 DEL 6 1 8 6 12 
			 DRD 3 6 12 9 6 
			 DSD 7 9 3 12 19 
			 DFP 1 8 9 4 2 
			 NIO 3 7 8 5 2 
		
	
	Notes:
	The figures relate to staff whose names are currently held on the Central Transfer List, together with the years in which they were awarded their respective welfare ratings. Records are not held for those staff who were awarded such ratings and whose transfer requests were subsequently accommodated.

Craigavon Divisional Planning Office

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken by his Department to assist staff dealing with the applications backlog at Craigavon Divisional Planning Office.

Angela Smith: The Planning Service as a whole has been facing unprecedented operational pressures due to a growth in the number of planning applications received. However, steps are being taken to address those pressures in the short, medium and long-term through the Modernisation and Reform programme.
	Since the introduction of revised council consultation procedures last October, across the Agency the number of deferred cases has dropped significantly (by 47 per cent.) and this has released staff time to tackle the live caseload (down by 11 per cent.) and to issue decisions, up 11 per cent. on the same period last year. (Up-dated to the end of February 2006)
	In addition, a new procedure to return all invalid planning applications was introduced in Craigavon Divisional Planning Office on 27 February 2006. The new procedure is aimed at improving the quality of applications being made and to help ensure that applications progress smoothly through the system without delay. This will be rolled out across the Agency over coming months.

Craigavon Divisional Planning Office

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when staff vacancies at Craigavon divisional planning office will be filled.

Angela Smith: There are currently two substantive vacancies within the Craigavon divisional planning office and it is anticipated that these will be filled within the next four to six weeks. The planning service management board will continue to monitor the situation and take whatever action is possible to ensure that the Craigavon office has adequate resources to deal with the volume of applications it receives.

Disabled People

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of households in Northern Ireland which have at least one adult with a disability living in the home.

Angela Smith: For the financial year 200405 the proportion of households with at least one adult with a limiting long-standing illness was 38 per cent.

Domestic Rates

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland receive a reduction in their domestic rates assessment on account of their disability; and how this assessment is arrived at.

Angela Smith: During 200506 just over 8,000 domestic rate payers in Northern Ireland were awarded disabled persons allowance reducing their rates.
	Entitlement to disabled persons allowance depends upon how much the property has been altered or adapted to meet the disabled persons needs, that the disabled person lives in the property and that they are a person to whom section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons (Northern Ireland) Act 1978 applies.
	Properties are inspected to assess the extent of any alternations or adaptations made and to confirm that they are for the benefit of the disabled person. The rateable valuation of such property in the valuation list is reduced accordingly thereby reducing the rate liability.

Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) costs and (b) receipts were of the driver and vehicle testing agency in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The following table details (a) costs and (b) receipts for the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency in each of the last five years.
	
		000
		
			  Income Costs 
		
		
			 200001 11,261 12,240 
			 200102 13,285 12,933 
			 200203 18,006 16,816 
			 200304 21,454 20,276 
			 200405 20,526 21,299

Education and Library Boards

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been allocated by each education and library board in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: The following tables show the funding (recurrent and capital) allocated to each of the education and library boards by the three funding Departments, Department of Education (DE), Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) and Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) in the last five financial years i.e. 200102 to 200506 inclusive.
	
		200506 (Final allocation)
		
			  million 
			  BELB NEELB SEELB SELB WELB Total 
		
		
			 Recurrent 220.2 281.2 250.5 296.1 299.9 1,347.9 
			 Capital 10.0 16.7 21.7 16.2 12.7 77.3 
			 Total 230.2 297.9 272.2 312.3 312.6 1425.2 
		
	
	
		200405 (Final allocation)
		
			  million 
			  BELB NEELB SEELB SELB WELB Total 
		
		
			 Recurrent 208.2 261.2 235.3 274.5 284.8 1,264.0 
			 Capital 7.7 14.6 25.8 16.0 21.9 86.0 
			 Total 215.9 275.8 261.1 290.5 306.7 1,350.0 
		
	
	
		200304 (Final allocation)
		
			  million 
			  BELB NEELB SEELB SELB WELB Total 
		
		
			 Recurrent 211.4 265.4 232.9 271.5 258.4 1,239.6 
			 Capital 12.5 13.9 14.3 11.6 13.3 65.6 
			 Total 223.9 279.3 247.2 283.1 271.7 1,305.2 
		
	
	
		200203 (Final allocation)
		
			  million 
			  BELB NEELB SEELB SELB WELB Total 
		
		
			 Recurrent 202.3 246.2 222.5 252.6 234.6 1,158.2 
			 Capital 8.0 12.8 17.8 9.1 12.5 60.2 
			 Total 210.3 259.0 240.3 261.7 247.1 1,218.4 
		
	
	
		200102 (Final allocation)
		
			  million 
			  BELB NEELB SEELB SELB WELB Total 
		
		
			 Recurrent 186.4 222.2 201.9 233.1 220.9 1,064.5 
			 Capital 4.6 10.2 18.2 10.4 7.0 50.4 
			 Total 191.0 232.4 220.1 243.5 227.9 1114.9

Education and Library Boards

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed centrally by each of the education and library boards in Northern Ireland in (a) human resources, payroll and finance, (b) procurement, (c) ICT, (d) legal services and (e) other roles.

Angela Smith: The following table shows the numbers of staff employed centrally by each of the education and library boards in the functions requested. Figures given have been provided by the boards and relate to full-time equivalent staff employed in headquarters administration (central) functions. They do not therefore include staff employed in the direct provision of education and youth services or staff employed in schools.
	
		Number
		
			  Human resources, payroll and finance Procurement ICT Legal services Other 
		
		
			 BELB 71.5 7.8 10.8 2.6 109.1 
			 NEELB 89 9.6 14.3 6 75.6 
			 SELB 108.3 16.7 13.5 4 118.6 
			 SEELB 82 7 7 3 96 
			 WELB 49 11.6 8 5 73.5 
		
	
	Note:
	These figures include staff employed by a lead board to carry out services on behalf of all five boards.

Efficiency Initiatives

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what efficiency initiatives have been implemented in each Northern Ireland department in each of the last five years.

Angela Smith: Over the last five years Northern Ireland departments have implemented a wide range of efficiency initiatives. Those implemented in 200506 are included in efficiency technical notes posted on departmental websites and a summary of initiatives implemented in the preceding four years has been placed in the Library.

Electricity and Rates Arrears

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much is owed in (a) electricity and (b) rates arrears in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) each council area of Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The following table sets out rate arrears at 31 March 2005. These have been extracted from the Rate Collection Agency's annual report and financial statements for 200405.
	Final figures for 200506 will not be available until June 2006. A copy of the agency's annual report and financial statements for 200506 will be sent directly to the hon. Member after it has been laid in the Houses of Parliament in July 2006.
	A total of approximately 8,958,000 was owed in electricity arrears across all categories of customers in Northern Ireland at 28 February 2006. A breakdown of this figure on a council area basis could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 District Arrears () 
		
		
			 01 Antrim 890,622.48 
			 02 Ards 1,191,944.76 
			 03 Armagh 986,109.90 
			 04 Ballymena 663,895.91 
			 05 Ballymoney 462,573.06 
			 06 Banbridge 426,555.60 
			 07 Belfast 11,104,946.89 
			 08 Carrickfergus 545,775.83 
			 09 Castlereagh 832,967.85 
			 10 Colereaine 879,310.98 
			 11 Cookstown 438,003.88 
			 12 Craigavon 1,468,497.35 
			 13 Derry 2,267,498.65 
			 14 Down 1,075,918.76 
			 15 Dungannon 667,455.72 
			 16 Fermanagh 738,798.86 
			 17 Larne 461,106.98 
			 18 Limavady 398,889.88 
			 19 Lisburn 2,677,094.23 
			 20 Magherafelt 419,666.77 
			 21 Moyle 191,652.56 
			 22 Newry 1,884,593.20 
			 23 Newtownabbey 1,729,339.91 
			 24 North Down 1,394,796.36 
			 25 Omagh 772,724.23 
			 26 Strabane 615,441.54 
			 Total rate arrears 35,196,182.14

Farming (Funding Schemes)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many awards have been made in Northern Ireland under the Farm Nutrient Management Scheme; and what the total cost was, broken down by council area.

Angela Smith: 411 approvals have issued. The total grant cost is 12,259,505. The Department only records scheme data by county area and not by council area. The figures broken down by county area are as follows:
	
		
			 County Approvals issued Total grant cost () 
		
		
			 Antrim 105 3,098,218 
			 Armagh 40 1,338,194 
			 Down 56 2,004,693 
			 Fermanagh 49 1,042,517 
			 Derry 52 1,499,961 
			 Tyrone 109 3,275,922

Farming (Funding Schemes)

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many awards were made in Northern Ireland under the Organic Farming (Conversion of Animal Housing) Scheme in 200506; and how much of the budget was unspent.

Angela Smith: Of the 76 approved projects under the Organic Farming (Conversion of Animal Housing) Scheme, 34 received payments during the financial year in 200506. Although the entire 2 million budget for the scheme has been allocated, some 1.12 million remained unclaimed at 31 March 2006 due to difficulties experienced in completing approved projects and submitting claims for payment by that date. The date for completion was therefore extended to 31 March 2007.

Festivals

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 206W, on festivals, what steps he has taken to ensure equality of funding for cultural events for all community backgrounds.

David Hanson: The Community Festivals Fund, which became operational on 1 April 2006, has been publicly advertised and is open to any organisation to apply. It introduces core criteria that must be satisfied before an event can receive financial support from the Fund. Amongst other requirements, festival organisers must demonstrate their commitment to promoting social cohesion, social inclusion, equality of opportunity and good relations.

Grievance Procedures

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many grievance procedures have been initiated in each department and government agency in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland Civil Service Grievance Procedure deals with grievances arising from a Civil Servant's employment. However there are separate procedures for appeals against non-selection for a promotion board, appeals against a marking in an annual performance review, complaints about harassment or bullying, disciplinary matters, and matters raised under the Northern Ireland Civil Service Code of Ethics or Public Interest Disclosure legislation.
	Details of grievances initiated under the Grievance Procedure in each of the NI Government Departments and Agencies and the NIO in 2003, 2004 and 2005 are given in the table below. The figures given are those cases escalated for resolution to Departmental Personnel Divisions, as records are not readily available 'for grievances resolved with line management at the early stages of the procedure. Details are provided separately for the Child Support Agency (CSA), The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA), the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), the Planning Service and the Social Security Agency (SSA). Cases in other Government Agencies are included in the figures for the relevant Department.
	
		
			 Department/Agency 2003 2004 2005 Total 
		
		
			 CSA 0 0 6 6 
			 DARD 1 2 6 9 
			 DCAL 1 0 1 2 
			 DE 0 1 3 4 
			 DEL 0 0 3 3 
			 DETI 0 0 1 1 
			 DFP 0 2 3 5 
			 DHSSPS 0 0 0 0 
			 DOE CORE 0 0 1 1 
			 DVLA 0 0 0 0 
			 DVTA 0 1 6 7 
			 DRD 8 15 15 38 
			 DSD CORE 0 0 0 0 
			 EHS 0 0 2 2 
			 NIO 2 5 4 11 
			 OFMDFM 0 0 1 1 
			 Planning Service 0 2 1 3 
			 SSA 2 10 7 19

Harassment Complaints

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment have been investigated in each Department and Government agency in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and how many complaints have been upheld.

Angela Smith: The information requested is set out in the tables.
	The figures for the number of cases upheld in a year do not necessarily refer to the number of cases investigated in that year as a case may be investigated towards the end of one year while the decision whether or not to uphold the complaint may be taken early in the next year.
	
		2003
		
			  Bullying Sexual Harassment 
			 Department Investigated Upheld Investigated Upheld 
		
		
			 OFMDFM 0 0 0 0 
			 DOE 2 (30)1 1 1 
			 DHSSPS 2 0 0 0 
			 NIO(32) 0 0 0 1 
			 DFP 2 0 0 0 
			 DETI 0 0 0 0 
			 DCAL 0 0 0 0 
			 DSDCore 0 0 0 0 
			 SSA 6 1 0 0 
			 CSA 1 0 0 0 
			 DEL 0 0 0 0 
			 DE 3 1 0 0 
			 DRD 4 (30)2 0 0 
			 DARD 1 1 0 0 
		
	
	
		2004
		
			  Bullying Sexual Harassment 
			 Department Investigated Upheld Investigated Upheld 
		
		
			 OFMDFM 0 0 0 0 
			 DOE 1 0 1 0 
			 DHSSPS 1 0 0 0 
			 NIO(32) 0 0 2 0 
			 DFP 2 (30)1 0 0 
			 DETI 0 0 1 1 
			 DCAL 0 0 0 0 
			 DSDCore 1 0 0 0 
			 SSA 8 2 3 0 
			 CSA 1 0 0 0 
			 DEL 1 0 0 0 
			 DE 0 0 1 0 
			 DRD 0 0 0 0 
			 DARD 1 1 0 0 
		
	
	
		2005
		
			  Bullying Sexual Harassment 
			 Department Investigated Upheld Investigated Upheld 
		
		
			 OFMDFM 1 0 0 0 
			 DOE 2 1, 21 1 1, 21 
			 DHSSPS 0 0 0 0 
			 NIO(32) 0 0 4 0 
			 DFP 2 0 0 0 
			 DETI 1 0 0 0 
			 DCAL 0 0 0 0 
			 DSDCore 3 0 0 0 
			 SSA 24 4 1 1 
			 CSA 1 0 0 0 
			 DEL 1 (30)1 0 0 
			 DE (31)2 1 (31)1 0 
			 DRD 1 0 0 0 
			 DARD 0 0 1 1 
		
	
	(30) Denotes one complaint upheld in part.
	(31) Denotes one complaint involving allegations of both bullying and sexual harassment.
	(32) Figures relate to all complaints of harassment, as NIO does not require staff to identify specific equality grounds for harassment complaints.

Herceptin

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the availability of Herceptin to treat early stage breast cancer in Northern Ireland.

Shaun Woodward: I announced in November 2005, that the cancer drug, Herceptin, may be made available to women with early stage breast cancer where this is clinically appropriate.
	The decision to prescribe Herceptin should always be a clinical decision and clinicians must give full consideration to the risks and benefits associated with this treatment.

Home Tuition

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average waiting time is for an individual assessment for home tuition for children absent from school due to prolonged illness or disability in each Education and Library Board area.

Angela Smith: The Education and Library Boards do not assess whether pupils absent from school due to prolonged illness or short term disability should receive home tuition. Education and Library Boards arrange home tuition for such pupils on the basis of a recommendation from the medical profession.
	The average waiting time between the receipt of a referral and the commencement of home tuition is 10 working days.
	It should be noted that in more complex medical cases it may be necessary to seek additional information from other medical/educational sources. In such cases the waiting time may be longer.

Housing

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2006, Official Report, column 208W, on housing, how much unpaid Housing Executive rent arrears was recouped in each year; how much new arrears accrued in each year; and how much rent arrears was carried forward into the next financial year in each district in Northern Ireland in each year since 1996.

David Hanson: The rent account for Housing Executive tenants is a rolling account that contains both the current liability, along with any arrears, and provides an up to date balance. It is, therefore, not possible to provide the information in the form requested.

Housing

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were registered as being in urgent need of accommodation on the Housing Executive's waiting list at 1 January (a) 2001 and (b) 2006.

David Hanson: Complete figures are not available for 1 January 2001, due to the implementation of the common selection scheme at that time. However, figures for the financial year ending 31 March 2001 show that there were 10,639 applicants in housing stress 1 . For the financial year ending 31 March 2006 the comparative figure was 17,433.
	1 Urgent need is now termed housing stress, and is made-up of applicants and transfer applicants with 3.0-points or more.

Housing

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many domestic dwellings in Northern Ireland owned by housing associations and the Housing Executive were vacant or not allocated to prospective tenants on 1 January 2006.

David Hanson: There were a total of 4,288 vacant Northern Ireland Housing Executive properties as at 1 January 2006. Figures for Registered Housing Associations are only collected on an annual basis for the preceding financial year. At 31 March 2005 the Associations reported 1,443 housing units were vacant.

Housing

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new dwellings in the social housing sector are expected to be built in Northern Ireland between 1 January and 31 December 2006.

David Hanson: Forward planning information is held by financial year, rather than calendar year.
	Around 1,300 new homes are currently programmed for 'contract completion' in 200607.
	Individual completions are not counted until the whole contract completes. For example in a contract not due for completion until 200708, the individual houses completed in 200607 will not score until the entire contract completes in 200708.

Housing

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dwellings have been granted planning approval as (a) separate units and (b) part of housing developments in the BT17 postal code district of Dunmurry in each of the past 10 years.

Angela Smith: Unfortunately, it is not possible to answer the questions asked because the planning service in Northern Ireland does not routinely collect and hold information that would enable numbers of planning decisions relating to particular types of development to be classified by way of postcode.

InterTradeIreland

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the religious composition is of (a) the staff and (b) the board of InterTradeIreland.

Angela Smith: At 1 April 2006 InterTradeIreland employed 38 permanent staff. The religious composition of these staff has been identified as (i) 31 Roman Catholic (ii) six Protestant and (iii) one non-determined. Information on the religious composition of the InterTradeIreland Board is not held.

Invest Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans Invest Northern Ireland has to promote inward investment into Northern Ireland following the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington DC during July 2007.

Angela Smith: This festival provides a useful platform to position Northern Ireland positively as a strategic investment and trade partner for US corporations seeking to establish a presence in Europe. Invest NI is inputting to a Smithsonian Ancillary Programme with a series of market visits which will run from March to July 2007, heavily focused on investment, trade, and research and development activities.

Key Stage 3 (Pupil Profile)

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have been made to the proposed pupil profile at key stage 3 to take account of responses of teachers involved in trialling the profile.

Angela Smith: The key stage 3 pupil profile is scheduled for introduction in the 200809 academic year. Initial trialing with a small sample of teachers has identified issues which need to be addressed to ensure that the profile is as relevant as possible for parents and pupils, whilst being manageable for teachers.
	CCEA is consulting with teachers on these issues, and piloting will continue during the 200607 and 200708 academic years.

Planning Applications

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change was in each Northern Ireland district council area in the number of planning applications submitted in the three months before 16 March (a) 2005 and (b) 2006.

Angela Smith: The following table details the change in the total number of planning applications received in each Northern Ireland district council area between the three month period from December 2004 to February 2005 and the period from December 2005 to February 2006.
	
		
			  Total 
			 District council area December 2004 to February 2005 December 2005 to February 2006 Change Percentage change 
		
		
			 Antrim 305 254 -51 -17 
			 Ards 347 255 -92 -27 
			 Armagh 348 323 -25 -7 
			 Ballymena 300 277 -23 -8 
			 Ballymoney 249 161 -88 -35 
			 Banbridge 288 322 +34 +12 
			 Belfast 618 547 -71 -11 
			 Carrickfergus 66 53 -13 -20 
			 Castlereagh 107 118 +11 +10 
			 Coleraine 337 298 -39 -12 
			 Cookstown 344 331 -13 -4 
			 Craigavon 271 250 -21 -8 
			 Derry 286 251 -35 -12 
			 Down 552 286 -266 -48 
			 Dungannon 634 703 +69 +11 
			 Fermanagh 688 725 +37 +5 
			 Larne 98 95 -3 -3 
			 Limavady 218 149 -69 -32 
			 Lisburn 376 323 -53 -14 
			 Magherafelt 263 280 +17 +6 
			 Moyle 157 100 -57 -36 
			 Newry and Mourne 628 753 +125 +20 
			 Newtownabbey 156 125 -31 -20 
			 North Down 203 203 0 0 
			 Omagh 496 539 +43 +9 
			 Strabane 265 257 -8 -3 
			 Planning Service Total 8,600 7,978 -622 -7

Public Bodies (Membership)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the membership of the (a) Eastern Border Counties Region, (b) Irish Cross Border Area Network and (c) North West Regional Cross Border Group, broken down by (i) nominating council and (ii) political affiliation.

Angela Smith: The cross border organisations to which the hon. Member refers were all formed by local councils. Those councils are solely responsible for nominating members to both the organisations and to their boards and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on their composition.

Pupil Exclusions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the exclusion rates were for the 100 (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Northern Ireland with the (i) highest and (ii) lowest percentage of children receiving free school meals in each the last three years.

Angela Smith: The Department of Education does not collect all the requested information.
	The following table details the number of pupils suspended per 10,000 pupils, in the 100 primary and post primary schools with the highest percentage of free school meals entitlement.
	
		
			  Number of pupils suspended per 10,000 pupils 
			  Primary schools Post primary schools 
		
		
			 200203 54 522 
			 200304 53 559 
			 200405 59 540 
		
	
	The following table details the number of pupils suspended per 10,000 pupils, in the 100 primary and post primary schools with the lowest percentage of free school meals entitlement.
	
		
			  Number of pupils suspended per 10,000 pupils 
			  Primary schools Post primary schools 
		
		
			 200203 3 155 
			 200304 5 158 
			 200405 2 156 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures relate to pupils in post primary schools and in year 1 to year 7 in primary schools.

Schools (Assaults)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the incidence of reported violence towards (a) staff and (b) pupils was in the 100 (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in Northern Ireland with the (A) highest and (B) lowest percentage of children receiving free school meals in each of the last three years.

Angela Smith: The Department of Education does not collect all the information requested.
	Statistics on the reasons for suspensions (fixed term exclusions) have been gathered annually, since the 200203 school year, from each Education and Library Board.
	The following table details the number of occasions where pupils were suspended for physical attacks on (a) staff and (b) pupils, in the 100 primary and post primary schools with the highest percentage of free school meals entitlement:
	
		Number of occasions
		
			  Primary schools Post primary schools 
			  Physical attack on staff Physical attack on pupils Physical attack on staff Physical attack on pupils 
		
		
			 200203(33) 31 49 190 1,028 
			 200304(33) 27 45 159 1,193 
			 200405(34) 24 57 117 983 
		
	
	The following table details the number of occasions where pupils were suspended for physical attacks on (a) staff and (b) pupils, in the 100 primary and post primary schools with the lowest percentage of free school meals entitlement:
	
		Number of occasions
		
			  Primary schools (35) Post primary schools 
			  Physical attack on staff Physical attack on pupils Physical attack on staff Physical attack on pupils 
		
		
			 200203(33) 0 5 38 335 
			 200304(33) 0 5 31 344 
			 200405(34) 5 5 29 358 
		
	
	(33) The count of occasions is based on each record of suspension identified by the ELB. In some instances, longer periods of suspension may have more than one record.
	(34) The count of occasions is based on each incidence of suspension, where an incident is defined as a count from the first day a pupil is suspended until the last day suspended.
	(35) To be consistent with the National Statistics Code of Practice (Protocol on Data Access and Confidentiality), and in accordance with the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency's compliance statement on Confidentiality and Access, a statistical disclosure technique has been employed to meet the confidentiality guarantee. Small cell sizes (counts of 14 pupils) have been denoted as 5 rather than state the precise number.

Stillbirths

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many babies have been stillborn in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total this figure represents.

Angela Smith: The following table gives the number of stillbirths registered in Northern Ireland and the percentage of all live births and stillbirths this represents (20015):
	
		
			  Registration year  Stillbirths (number) Percentage of all live births and stillbirths 
		
		
			 2001 112 0.5 
			 2002 122 0.6 
			 2003 108 0.5 
			 2004 113 0.5 
			 2005 (Provisional) 90 0.4

Teacher Training

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people qualified from teacher training in Northern Ireland in each year between 1995 and 2005.

Angela Smith: Students gaining initial teacher training qualifications at NI higher education institutions 199495 to 200405 are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of qualifications obtained 
		
		
			 199495 751 
			 199596 774 
			 199697 753 
			 199798 644 
			 199899 649 
			 19992000 635 
			 200001 700 
			 200102 716 
			 200203 772 
			 200304 779 
			 200405 804 
		
	
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Unemployment Statistics

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the change was in the number of people unemployed in East Londonderry constituency between March 2001 and March 2006.

Angela Smith: The change in the number of people unemployed in East Londonderry constituency between March 2001 and March 2006 was a decrease of 714 persons, equivalent to a 29.9 per cent. decrease. The corresponding levels are provided in the table as follows.
	
		
			  Claimant count 
			 East Londonderry PCA Number Percentage 
		
		
			 March 2001 2,386  
			 March 2006 1,672  
			 Change 2001 to 2006 -714 -29. 9

Vehicle Excise Duty

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the rates of vehicle excise duty evasion were in each Northern Ireland parliamentary constituency in each year between 2000 and 2005.

Angela Smith: Roadside surveys of evasion of vehicle excise duty are carried out across the UK by the Department of Transport, which has responsibility for the registration and licensing of vehicles. No surveys were undertaken in 2000, 2001 and 2003. Surveys were carried out in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
	Figures are produced for the whole of Northern Ireland only; figures are not available for individual parliamentary constituencies.
	The rate of evasion of vehicle excise duty by vehicles in traffic in each survey is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Year of survey Rate of evasion in traffic (Percentage) 
		
		
			 2002 8.2 
			 2004 7.2 
			 2005 5.4

Waterways (Pollution)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were prosecuted in Northern Ireland between 2000 and 2005 for offences connected with pollution of waterways.

Angela Smith: The number of prosecutions for water pollution offences which occurred during each of the years 200005 are as shown.
	Because it can take over a year for a case to come to court, a number of prosecution cases from 2005 and some from 2004 are still pending a verdict in court. These pending prosecutions are included in the figures provided.
	
		
			 Year in which pollution offence occurred Number of prosecutions 
		
		
			 2000 83 
			 2001 109 
			 2002 101 
			 2003 123 
			 2004 (36)63 
			 2005 (37)9 
		
	
	(36) Plus 17 cases pending.
	(37) Plus 51 cases pending.
	It should be noted that, between 1996 and 2005 there was a reduction in the number of water pollution incidents from 2,055 to 1,175, a reduction of some 43 per cent.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Automated Valuation Model

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the datasets that are part of the automated valuation model.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has a single dataset, which is used to provide input to, but is independent of, the automated valuation model (AVM).

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 250W, on council tax, what the (a) OASIS and (b) Tenet products are; and if he will outline their use for council tax valuations.

Phil Woolas: 'OASIS' is the trade name of the valuation modelling software provided by Cole Layer Trumble to the Valuation Office Agency (VOA). 'Tenet' is the name used by the VOA for the enhancements to the base digital mapping software supplied by Tenet IT Mapping Limited. Neither 'Tenet' nor OASIS is used for council tax valuation purposes following the postponement of the 2007 council tax revaluation announced by the Minister for Communities and Local Government on 20 September 2005.

Council Tax

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 24 January 2006, Official Report, column 2060W, on council tax regulations, what recommendation was made to amend regulation 3 of the Council Tax (Chargeable Dwellings) Order.

Phil Woolas: The proposals for changes to council tax regulations referred to in the minutes of Valuation Office Agency Local Authorities Liaison Group meeting of 27 September 2004 relate to discussions by officials of the Valuation Office Agency with officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister about amending article 3 of the Council Tax (Chargeable Dwellings) Order 1992 to preclude disaggregation where the whole of a single hereditament is occupied as the sole or main residence of a person. The Government have no current plans to amend this regulation.

Habitat Regulations

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent advice he has given to local planning authorities on ensuring that regional and city plans are properly assessed before they are adopted, with particular reference to the Habitat regulations.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister sent a letter to all regional planning bodies (RPBs) and local planning authorities (LPAs) on the 9 March 2006 1 . It advised RPBs and LPAs of their responsibilities under the Habitats directive 92/43/EEC to carry out an appropriate assessment (AA) on their plans, and provided guidance on its application in the interim period before the amendments to the UK Conservation (Habitats c) Regulations, 1994 (Habitats Regulations) come into force this September. The letter also referred RPBs and LPAs to existing guidance produced by the European Commission 2 . The ODPM will also issue draft guidance on the application of AA to land use plans for consultation this summer.
	1 The letter is available on the ODPM website: http://www.odpm.gov.uk/pub/56/ApplicationofAppropriateAssessmentunderArticle63and4oftheHabitatsDirective9243Eb_id1164056.pdf
	2 EC Guidance consists of: 'Managing Natura 2000 Sites: The provisions of article 6 of the 'Habitats' directive 92/42/CEE' 2000' and 'Assessment of plans and projects significantly affecting Natura 2000 sites: Methodological guidance on the provisions of article 6(3) and (4) of the Habitats directive 92/43/EEC, 2001'.

Hereditaments

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many physical inspections of composite hereditaments were carried out by the Valuation Agency for (a) business rates and (b) council tax (i) valuation and (ii) liability purposes in each year since 199697.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member on 20 January 2006, Official Report, column 1699W. Liability is a matter for billing authorities, not for the Valuation Office Agency.

Liveability Fund

Jonathan R Shaw: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information Medway council has provided to his Department on grants awarded under the liveability fund; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 18 April 2006
	Medway council was one of 27 areas that benefited from the liveability fund, improving local authority service delivery before investing in public space developments. Areas such as the Weedswood Estate in Chatham have seen physical and social improvements, while the Street Guardian scheme will ensure their continued improvement, keeping them cleaner, safer and greener.
	In line with all recipients of the fund, Medway council confirmed completion of milestones set out in the grant agreement. Further information and lessons from the liveability fund in Medway are being shared through a good practice programme run by the Improvement and Development Agency.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's How2 toolkit for council tax valuation and appeal work.

Phil Woolas: This guidance is held in linked electronic formats within the Valuation Office Agency's main IT systems and can only be viewed with full functionality through the appropriate software package. To provide a copy in the Library could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Mobile Telephone Masts

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 20 January 2006, Official Report, column 1693W, on mobile telephone masts, how many communication stations were registered for business rates in England in each local authority area in 1998.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden on 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2836W.

Needs Assessments (Young People)

Andrew Love: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what arrangements are in place to ensure that local authorities assess the needs of young people between the ages of 15 to 18 who are leaving care or prison with no financial or family support; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 requires local authorities to assess the needs of care leavers and to draw up a pathway plan for each individual setting out the services and support that they will receive to manage the move to an appropriate level of independence. Each care leaver is entitled to support from a personal adviser who will coordinate the provisions of the pathway plan and keep this under review. Up until the age of eighteen, the local authority will usually be a care leaver's primary source of income. Once care leavers reach 18, they are then entitled to have access to the same mainstream arrangements for obtaining financial help as other young people.
	Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) are responsible for resettlement planning for young people who have been made subjects of a custodial sentence, following their cases from pre-sentence stage through custody and into the community. Crucially this involves linking young people to mainstream local services who can to respond to their ongoing needs for accommodation, education, health and other support during and following the end of the period of YOT intervention.

Planning Applications

Mike Hancock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to publish the (a) criteria and (b) guidance on sequential development tests for planning applications for large warehouse complexes, with particular reference to the South East of England; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: The Deputy Prime Minister currently has no plans to publish any specific criteria or guidance on sequential development tests for planning applications for large warehouse complexes. National planning policy for this type of development is contained in planning policy statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (PPS1), planning policy guidance note 4: Industrial and Commercial Development and Small Firms (PPG4), and planning policy guidance note 13: Transport (PPG13). While there is no specific sequential development test for large warehouse complexes, existing planning policy is clear as to the types of location that may be suitable.
	PPS1 asks local planning authorities to recognise that in achieving sustainable development they should ensure that suitable locations are available for commercial development, having regard to considerations such as the level of transport accessibility and infrastructure provision.
	PPG4 promotes new development in locations which minimise the length and number of trips and which can be served by more energy efficient modes of transport. It also advises that well-planned distribution parks away from urban areas can offer economies of scale, with benefits to business and consumers, and wherever possible should be capable of access by rail or water.
	PPG13 requires that sustainable transport choices are promoted for the movement of freight, and it seeks a reduction in the need to travel. It asks for suitable sites which allow road to rail or water transfer of freight to be identified and protected where appropriate. The policy also specifically asks that warehousing which generates substantial freight movements to be located away from congested and residential areas, ensuring adequate access to trunk roads.
	To assist planning authorities to make sufficient provision for such development in their plans, we have published guidance on undertaking employment land reviews at both regional and local level ('Employment Land Reviews: Guidance Note' ODPM, 2004).
	Regional planning policy for the location of development is set out in the regional planning guidance for the South East (RPG9, 2001), which is the regional spatial strategy for South East England. The strategy is currently under review and the South East England regional assembly has formally submitted the draft South East plan to the Government for consideration. A consultation on the draft plan will run from 31 March 2006 to 23 June 2006.
	Once the South East plan has been finalised, following independent testing, it will be published by the Government as a replacement of RPG9. Local authority development plans, and development proposals will need to conform to the South East plan. The South East plan, and the local authority development plans in that region will collectively form the statutory development plan for the South East.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his Answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 587W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what the (a) start point and (b) estimated termination point of the contract with Cole Layer Trumble are; and whether the contract is ongoing.

Phil Woolas: The contract between EDS (now managed by Aspire, IT suppliers to HMRC and the Valuation Office Agency) and Cole Layer Trumble (CLT) commenced on 1 September 2003. As the Government have made clear, the VOA will ensure that the country has an up-to-date electronic property database, available as a source of accurate data. It is therefore anticipated that there will be an ongoing contract while the software supplied by CLT (the OASIS modelling software) is in use. A termination point of the contract cannot be estimated.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his Answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 587W, on the Valuation Office Agency, how many meetings his officials and staff from the Valuation Office Agency have had with Cole Layer Trumble since the signing of the contract.

Phil Woolas: No meetings involving officials of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have been held with Cole Layer Trumble (CLT). Staff from the Valuation Office Agency have had regular liaison with representatives of CLT during development of the Agency's Automated Valuation Model (AVM), which is an essential part of ensuring best value for money is delivered from the investment being made in the AVM. No formal count has been kept of the number of meetings held.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his Answer of 30 November 2005, Official Report, column 587W, on the Valuation Office Agency, if he will publish the make and model of the cameras bought in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The VOA has used cameras since the late 1980s. Details of the cameras bought in each year is as shown in the following table: All are standard retail models for amateur photographer use. These replaced circa 1,400 conventional cameras held by the VOA. Digital cameras were introduced on cost savings grounds i.e. to reduce running costs expended on film development costs.
	
		
			  Number and make Total 
		
		
			 200102 150 x Fuji 150 
			 200203 11 x Fuji 645 x Olympus 656 
			 200304 None purchased  
			 200405 1,270 x Olympus 1,270 
			 200506 50 x Olympus 50

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2006, Official Report, column 273W, on the Valuation Office Agency, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's document, Dwellinghouse Codingan Illustrated Guide, or provide a weblink if it is available on the Agency's website.

Phil Woolas: In order to protect privacy the document cannot be made publicly available.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if the Valuation Office Agency keeps photographs of properties for (a) business rates and (b) council tax valuation purposes.

Phil Woolas: Some photographs are kept on the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) secure central database. Photographs are rarely taken inside a person's home and only with the express permission of the occupier e.g. to record a poor state of repair where the occupier believes it affects the value for taxation purposes. VOA policy is to delete photographs taken inside a person's home once they have served their purpose.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the individual datasets are part of the Valuation Office Agency's Automated Valuation Model.

Phil Woolas: No. The Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) dataset is independent of the Automated Valuation Model (AVM).

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what use the Valuation Office Agency makes of (a) property and (b) individual-related data from Experian.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) The Valuation Office Agency purchases Goad plans and shopping centre reports including footfall information from Experian.
	Goad plans are used for identifying occupiers of retail units when undertaking rating valuations and considering proposals.
	Footfall count information is used to monitor the impact on rental value of physical changes to the layout of shopping centres.
	(b) The Valuation Office Agency does not use individual-related data such as credit ratings from Experian.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what account the Valuation Office Agency takes of the presence of (a) fixed kennels, (b) stables and (c) animal hutches in making a valuation of a domestic property.

Phil Woolas: The banding of a domestic property for council tax purposes is based on the valuer's estimate of the capital value of that property. The items referred to would only be taken into account if they form part of a larger property which is itself a dwelling and to the extent which they add to the capital value of the dwelling.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place a copy of the Valuation Office Agency guidance on the definition and assessment of a fixture for council tax valuation purposes in the Library.

Phil Woolas: Guidance on the definition and assessment of a fixture for council tax valuation purposes is contained in the VGA's Council Tax Manual, which is available on the VGA's website www.voa.gov.uk

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2005, Official Report, column 963W, on the Valuation Office Agency, how many public conveniences were registered for business rates by the Valuation Office Agency in each Government office region in 1998 or the closest year for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: As at 31 March 1998 there were 6,224 public conveniences included in the 1995 Rating List.
	
		
			 Government region Number of public conveniences 
		
		
			 Eastern 590 
			 East Midlands 450 
			 London 475 
			 North East 305 
			 North West 613 
			 South East 918 
			 South West 1,058 
			 Wales 762 
			 West Midlands 453 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 600 
			 Total 6,224

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answers of 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 2063W, and 6 December 2005, Official Report, column 1138W, on the Valuation Office Agency, whether the Agency intends to collate dwelling house code data for the remaining homes in England; and whether the agency expects that the number of homes with value significant code data will increase.

Phil Woolas: The intention is to continue to develop a database to support the legitimate duty of the Valuation Office Agency's listing officers to compile and maintain valuation lists for council tax purposes, and to do so in a manner that ensures fairness and consistency between taxpayers.

Valuation Office Agency

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 197W, on council tax revaluation, what targets the Valuation Office Agency has set for collecting dwelling house codes or value significant codes for more domestic properties to maintain valuation lists.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency has set an internal minimum standard for its newly digitised database so that data on the six main dwelling house codes (group, type, age, area, number of rooms and number of bedrooms) are held in electronic, not paper, form for 97 per cent. of dwellings by 30 June 2006.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden, of 20 January 2006, Official Report, column 1699W, on the Valuation Office Agency, how many properties Valuation Office Agency inspected to determine whether the property is used for both business and domestic purposes in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency does not hold this information.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19 January 2006, Official Report, column 1546W, on the Valuation Office Agency, if he will place in the Library a copy of the full ruling of the Lands Tribunal of Tully v. Jorgensen.

Phil Woolas: A copy of the full ruling of the Lands Tribunal of Tully v. Jorgensen is published and can be obtained from the Lands Tribunal website www.landstribunal.gov.uk.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 19 January 2006, Official Report, column 1546W, on the Valuation Office Agency, what changes have been made to the criteria applied by valuation officers since May 1997.

Phil Woolas: The criteria applied by valuation officers of the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), as set out in the council tax manual published by the VOA on its website at www.voa.gov.uk, remained unchanged until the update, in 2004, which reflected the decision of the Lands Tribunal in the case of Tully v. Jorgensen.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether the Valuation Office Agency has produced proposals on the sale of its council tax datasets for commercial purposes in the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency has not produced any proposals on the sale of its council tax datasets for commercial purposes.

Valuation Office Agency

Eric Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister into how many localities the Valuation Office Agency divided England to assist the valuations of individual properties as part of the council tax revaluation preparations.

Phil Woolas: As part of the council tax revaluation preparations, the Valuation Office Agency divided England into approximately 10,000 localities.

HEALTH

Acute Hospital Beds

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospital beds per head of population there are in (a) London, (b) each region and (c) each strategic health authority area.

Jane Kennedy: Data for the latest available year 200405 are shown in the table. Data are not available on a regional basis.
	
		Acute hospital beds per population in each strategic health authority area (SHA)
		
			 SHA code SHA name Acute beds Population Beds per 100,000 people 
		
		
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 4,741 2,238,151 211.8 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 2,198 1,617,537 135.9 
			 Q03 Essex 2,475 1,635,605 151.3 
			 Q04 North West London 4,012 1,834,066 218.7 
			 Q05 North Central London 3,300 1,227,957 268.8 
			 Q06 North East London 3,392 1,531 ,427 221.5 
			 Q07 South East London 3,102 1,514,122 204.9 
			 Q08 South West London 2,870 1,321,018 217.3 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 3,813 1,396,374 273.0 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley 2,740 1,148,699 238.5 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and North Lines 3,224 1,652,387 195.1 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire 4,666 2,108,028 221.3 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire 4,274 1,929,653 221.5 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester 7,080 2,539,043 278.8 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside 6,512 2,358,474 276.1 
			 Q16 Thames Valley 3,918 2,120,859 184.7 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 3,601 1,801,442 199.9 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway 2,549 1,610,310 158.3 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex 4,748 2,577,631 184.2 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 5,393 2,206,246 244.5 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula 4,159 1,619,062 256.9 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset 2,647 1,212,892 218.2 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire 3,866 1,278,434 302.4 
			 Q24 Trent 5,130 2,687,496 190.9 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northants and Rutland 3,020 1,592,211 189.7 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire 2,759 1,499,568 184.0 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country 6,116 2,274,964 268.9 
			 Q28 West Midlands South 3,199 1,559,474 205.2 
			  England Total 109,505 50,093,130 218.6 
		
	
	Note:
	Data are from financial year 200405.
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH03

BCG Vaccinations

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding her Department spent delivering BCG vaccinations in (a) 200203, (b) 200304, (c) 200405 and (d) 200506 in each London borough; how many were delivered in each case; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: This information is not available in the form requested.
	Funding for immunisation services including the bacille-calmette guerin (BCG) vaccination programme, form part of the annual allocation to primary care trusts (PCTs). PCTs are responsible for the management of those monies and the running of immunisation programmes.
	The number of people vaccinated with BCG vaccine is collected annually by PCTs. This information is published by National Statistics in 'NHS Immunisation Statistics, England', which is available in the Library.

Birth Statistics

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies were born at (a) Liverpool Women's hospital, (b) Whiston hospital, (c) Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust, (d) Wigan and Wrightington NHS Trust and (e) Royal Preston hospital in (i) 200001 and (ii) 200405.

Liam Byrne: The information is not available in the format requested. The information in the table contains figures for deliveries registered for 200001 and 200304 which is the latest year for which data is available.
	
		
			  Deliveries registered 
			  200001 200304 
		
		
			 Liverpool Women's Hospital 5,873 6,456 
			 Whiston Hospital 2,647 2,559 
			 Southport and Ormskirk Hospitals 1,961 2,237 
			 Billinge Hospital, Wigan 2,856 2,829 
			 Sharoe Green Hospital, Preston 3,605 3,717

Blindness

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what timetable has been set for reviewing progress towards meeting the goal of eradicating preventable blindness under the Vision 2020 initiative; and how her Department plans to measure the progress made.

Rosie Winterton: We are committed to the principles of Vision 2020 for the elimination of avoidable blindness and have a range of activity in place to improve eye health. By 2008, the maximum waiting time for cataract operations is due to be reduced to 18 weeks from the point of general practitioner referral.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) are expected to deliver the national commitment that by the end of 2007, 100 per cent. of people with diabetes will be offered screening for the early detection (and treatment if needed) of diabetic retinopathy as part of a systematic programme that meets national standards.
	The National Institute for Health Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued its guidance on photodynamic therapy on 24 September 2003. Since June 2004, all PCTs have been funding photodynamic therapy treatment for patients with both the wholly classic and predominantly classic forms of age-related macular degeneration.
	Glaucoma was referred to NICE in November 2005. NICE will prepare a clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of raised intraocular pressure and ocular hypertension.
	The eye care services steering group has developed evidence-based pathways for four key eye conditions: cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and low vision services. We are currently testing the latter three pathways and will share our findings with the national health service as they progress. The pilots are due to be evaluated later this year.
	We expect this programme of work to meet the aims of the Vision 2020 programme. These programmes either have set targets for progress or are subject to regular review as part of mainstream business of delivering health services.

Blindness

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department plans to take to increase public awareness of the role an eye test plays in (a) preventing avoidable blindness and (b) diagnosing diabetes.

Rosie Winterton: Free sight tests are available under the national health service to large parts of the population including children, those aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, people on benefits, those people at particular risk of developing eye disease, and people who are registered blind or partially sighted or who have a complex spectacle prescription. In addition, in April 1999, we extended free sight tests to all people aged 60 and over. Sight tests allow the opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for signs of disease. Those at risk of specific eye disease, for example diabetic retinopathy, may be asked to attend regular screening.
	Information about the extensive arrangements for providing help with NHS optical services and other health costs are publicised in leaflet HC11 'Are you entitled to help with health costs?' Posters are also available for display in optical practices and hospital out-patient departments.
	The Department is also working with the Department for Work and Pensions on updating their leaflet 'Are you over 50?' This leaflet includes information about health and contact numbers for organisations which can provide further advice. We intend to include information in this publication highlighting the four leading eye conditions and promoting the benefits of regular sight testing.

Capita

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much business her Department has placed with (a) Capita Group plc and (b) its subsidiaries in each of the last five years; what the total value is of outstanding contracts placed with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries by her Department; for which current tenders issued by her Department (i) Capita Group plc and (ii) its subsidiaries have been invited to bid; and whether (A) Capita Group plc and (B) its subsidiaries have seconded staff (1) temporarily and (2) on a longer-term basis to (X) her Department and (Y) its agencies.

Liam Byrne: The total amount spent with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in 200405 and to the end of February 2006 for the financial period 200506 is shown in the table.
	
		
		
			  Financial year 
			 Capita subsidiary 200405 200506(38) 
		
		
			 Capita Business Services Ltd. 540,112 314,625 
			 Capita Healthcare Solutions 55,419 62,591 
			 Capita SHG Resourcing Nil 1,002,325 
		
	
	(38) To end of February 2006
	Information prior to 200405 is not readily available and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The only outstanding contract is with Capita Health Solutions to provide the Department's occupational health services. The total value of this contract is 195,000.
	We do not hold centrally information that would allow for an analysis of how many tenders Capita Group plc or its subsidiaries have been invited to bid for, and could not obtain this information without incurring disproportionate costs.
	Our records indicate that currently, there are no staff seconded to the Department from Capita Group plc or its subsidiaries.

Capita

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the value of contracts held by her Department with (a) Capita plc and (b) its subsidiaries was in the last three financial years.

Liam Byrne: The total amount spent with Capita Group plc and its subsidiaries in 200405 and to the end of February 2006 for the financial period 200506 is shown in the following table.
	
		
		
			  Financial year 
			 Capita subsidiary 200405 200506(39) 
		
		
			 Capita Business Services Ltd. 540,112 314,625 
			 Capita Healthcare Solutions 55,419 62,591 
			 Capita SHG Resourcing Nil 1,002,325 
		
	
	(39) As at 28 February 2006
	Information prior to 200405 is not readily available and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.

Children's Hospices

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received on the funding of children's hospices; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: We have received a number of representations about the funding of children's hospices. On 15 March 2006, Official Report, column 1454, the Prime Minister answered a question from the hon. Member for Castle Point (Bob Spink). I have answered a number of questions on the funding of children's hospices and it was debated on 13 December 2005, Official Report, column l385WH. The hon. Member for Castle Point also presented a petition from the residents of Essex and others on 25 January 2006, Official Report, column 1476. There have been a number of early day motions and letters to Ministers. I met with my hon. Friend, the Member for Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland (Dr. Ashok Kumar) on 14 February 2006.
	On the 9 February 2006, a number of commissioners of palliative care for children and young people, representatives of the children's hospice movement and other interested parties were invited to discuss a range of issues affecting the provision of palliative care and I attended another seminar on 22 March. I also understand the Sun Campaign petition was presented to the Prime Minister on 16 March.
	Our manifesto commitment to double funding for end of life care will give more families the choice to have their child or young person with a life-threatening or life-limiting condition to be treated at home. An announcement about this funding will be made in due course.

Community Hospitals

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding the closure of local community hospitals in (a) South West London, (b) Surrey, (c) Middlesex, (d) Greater London and (e) England.

Liam Byrne: Providing an exhaustive list of representations in the format requested would be of a disproportionate cost.
	However, a brief search has identified representations from the public and hon. Members relating to a number of community hospitals across the country including:
	Edward VII in Chichester;
	Surbiton;
	Epsom;
	Townlands in Oxford;
	Ludlow;
	Telford;
	Walnut Tree in Suffolk; and
	Keswick.

Connecting for Health Computer System

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has (a) spent on and (b) committed to the NHS Connecting for Health computer system.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 25 April 2006
	The value of contracts let for the original core components of the programme amounts to 6.2 billion over 10 years. Payments made for work completed under those contracts totalled 502.58 million as at 21 April 2006.

Connecting for Health Computer System

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what her Department expects to be the completion date of the NHS Connecting for Health computer system.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 25 April 2006
	The Department's NHS Connecting for Health Agency is aiming to achieve substantial integration of health and social care information systems in England under the national programme for information technology by 2010. Information technology systems will need to be upgraded in the light of new technology and new national health service requirements beyond that date.

Continuing Care Assessments

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to prevent a Director of Finance sitting on a primary care trust review and funding panel which collates the eligibility assessments for continuing care from health and social care professionals.

Liam Byrne: Review panels have independent chairmen who lead members appointed by the relevant national health service and local government bodies.
	We will soon publish for consultation a national framework for NHS continuing care which will give further clarity and consistency on the responsibilities of NHS and social services for long term care. The national framework will include guidance on the processes and considerations to take into account when making decisions on the responsibility of the NHS and social services for long-term care.
	We will carefully consider all responses to the consultation when preparing the final version of the framework.

Dentistry

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of the (a) adult and (b) child population of (i) East Hull and West Hull primary care trust area, (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber and (iii) England was registered with an NHS general dental practitioner in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many NHS patients were registered with NHS general dental practitioners in the Eastern Hull and West Hull primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is set out in the tables.
	Table 1 shows the number of adults and children in England, North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire strategic health authority (SHA) (and Eastern Hull and West Hull primary care trusts (PCTS)), West Yorkshire SHA and South Yorkshire SHA who were registered with an national health service dentist as at 31 December in each specified year.
	This is expressed as an estimated proportion of the populations for each of these areas. Table 2 shows the number of NHS patients who were registered with NHS general dental practitioners in the Eastern Hull and West Hull PCT area in each year since 1997.
	
		Table 1
		
			 Percentage 
			  England North and East Yorkshire and STET and Northern Lincolnshire Eastern Hull PCT West Hull PCT West Yorkshire South Yorkshire 
		
		
			 1997   
			 Adults 53 53 (40) (40) 60 61 
			 Children 69 72 (40) (40) 68 74 
			
			 1998   
			 Adults 46 48 (40) (40) 54 55 
			 Children 62 67 (40) (40) 62 67 
			
			 1999   
			 Adults 45 48 (40) (40) 53 54 
			 Children 62 67 (40) (40) 62 67 
			
			 2000   
			 Adults 46 48 (40) (40) 52 55 
			 Children 63 68 (40) (40) 62 68 
			
			 2001   
			 Adults 45 48 36 69 52 56 
			 Children 63 68 55 101 62 69 
			
			 2002   
			 Adults 45 48 33 67 51 56 
			 Children 63 66 51 98 63 68 
			
			 2003   
			 Adults 44 47 29 71 51 56 
			 Children 62 65 44 102 63 68 
			
			 2004   
			 Adults 45 46 33 73 53 57 
			 Children 63 66 47 103 66 69 
			
			 2005   
			 Adults 45 48 36 84 51 55 
			 Children 64 67 46 113 65 69 
		
	
	(40) Population estimates are not available at PCT level prior to 2001
	Notes:
	1. Patients may be registered with a dentist outside the area in which they live. This explains why the number of children registered with dentists in some areas exceeds the size of the children's population for those areas.
	2. The drop in registrations between December 1997 and December 1998 is mostly attributable to the reduction in re-registration period from two years to fifteen months.
	3. Registration rates, that is the percentage of the population registered with a dentist, have been estimated by including registrations in the area of the dentist, that is according to the postcode of the dental surgery and not the patient's address. So the registration rates for some areas may be affected by some patients receiving dental treatment in a different area from the one in which they live. This can lead to figures being unusually high, even over 100 per cent., for child registrations, whilst other areas may have estimated rates which are lower than the actual (but unknown) proportion of residents who are registered with a dentist in or outside their own area.
	4. Personal dental services (PDS) schemes have varying registration periods. To ensure comparability with corresponding general dental services (CDS) data, PDS registrations for established PDS practices are estimated using proxy registrations, namely the number of patients seen by PDS practices in the past 15 months.
	5. Data for 2003 and earlier do not include those PDS schemes that do not have any registrations (for example dental access centres), and is therefore not directly comparable with 2004 and 2005 data.
	6. Official 2005 population data are not yet available. 2005 data have therefore been estimated using office for National Statistics 2004 mid-year population estimates based on the 2001 Census as these are the latest available.
	7. Prison contracts have not been included in this analysis
	Source:
	NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre and Business Services Authority
	
		Table 2 Number of patients registered with a NHS dentist in Eastern Hull and West Hull PCTs as at31 December in each specified year
		
			  Eastern Hull West Hull 
		
		
			 1997 48,017 105,091 
			 1998 43,959 97,447 
			 1999 42,719 95,698 
			 2000 44,746 101,664 
			 2001 49,076 98,908 
			 2002 44,565 95,449 
			 2003 39,025 99,961 
			 2004 43,812 102,509 
			 2005 45,763 115,716 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The drop in registrations between December 1997 and December 1998 is mostly attributable to the reduction in re-registration period from two years to fifteen months.
	2. PDS schemes have varying registration periods. To ensure comparability with corresponding GDS data, PDS registrations for established PDS practices are estimated using proxy registrations, namely the number of patients seen by PDS practices in the past 15 months.
	3. Data for 2003 and earlier do not include those PDS schemes that do not have any registrations, (for example dental access centres), and is therefore not directly comparable with 2004 and 2005 data.
	4. Prison contracts have not been included in this analysis.

Diabetes

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the number of people with diabetes for whom the drug Exubera may be clinically appropriate.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 25 April 2006
	This information is not centrally held.
	The choice of insulin prescribed to a patient is a clinical decision made as a result of a joint decision making process between the patient and their clinician taking into account all available evidence and the individual's specific clinical needs.

Diet-drug Interactions

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will (a) publish the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment working paper on diet-drug interactions and (b) make recommendations for action in relation to drug-diet interactions for (i) babies, (ii) young children, (iii) over 75-year-olds and (iv) people with long-term conditions.

Caroline Flint: The joint statement of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) and the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) on the joint COT/CSM meeting on diet-drug interactions was published on the Food Standards Agency's website on 2 February 2006. The statement will also be included in the 2005 annual reports of the two committees.
	As yet, there is insufficient data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for specific population groups, however appropriate information is supplied with specific pharmaceutical agents where necessary.

Emergency Contraception

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance her Department (a) has issued and (b) plans to issue to (i) general practitioners and (ii) pharmacists on the availability of emergency contraception over the counter without prescription from dispensing chemists;
	(2)  what follow-up care is available to women prescribed the morning-after pill (a) on prescription and (b) over the counter without prescription from dispensing chemists; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  if she will bring forward proposals to ensure that a woman's medical history is known before she is provided with the morning-after pill (a) on prescription and (b) over the counter without prescription from dispensing chemists; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 21 July 2005, Official Report, columns 215960W.

Fibromyalgia

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what (a) recent discussions she has had and (b) representations she has received on fibromyalgia;
	(2)  what progress is being made in improving NHS (a) diagnosis and (b) treatment of fibromyalgia.

Liam Byrne: I have had no recent discussions about fibromyalgia specifically, and have received no representations other than those from the hon. Member for Jarrow on 14 December 2005, Official Report, column 2143W and on 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1300W.
	I am advised that the Department has received 25 pieces of correspondence on the subject of fibromyalgia since August 2005.
	In August 2003, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) issued a newsletter to all doctors in England, specifically addressing the problem of fibromyalgia information dissemination. The CMO acknowledges the condition and the extent to which it affects the population. He raised awareness of a leaflet about fibromyalgia, which was made available to all general practitioner surgeries in the United Kingdom. The leaflet offers guidance on the main symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia together with a brief summary of the current ideas for the underlying pathogenesis. In addition, NHS Direct, NHS Direct Online and NHS Direct Interactive have been established to give people access to information on a range of conditions and illnesses, including fibromyalgia.

General Practitioners

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner surgeries in Brentford and Isleworth have been (a) newly built and (b) modernised since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make changes to the primary care contracts to ensure better opening hours as described in paragraph 3.58 of the White Paper, 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say', and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: We are continually exploring ways to improve patient access to national health service primary medical care. The revised general practice contract framework for 200607 includes incentives to encourage practices to improve access across a broader range of patient experiences. We shall be reviewing that framework again for 200708 and later years with the aim of supporting delivery of the commitments set out in the White Paper, including the provision of more flexible opening hours.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis was for the statement in paragraph 3.49 of the White Paper, 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say', that a minority of practices had stopped taking advance bookings; and what evidence suggests that the number of practices which have stopped taking advance bookings is growing.

Liam Byrne: Initial evidence that some practices were denying patients the opportunity to book ahead was based on correspondence and other representations from hon. Members and the public. Since the Department started collecting information about this practice and discouraging it, the incidence reported by practices through their primary care trusts has reduced from affecting over 12 per cent. of patients in November 2004 to less than one per cent, in March 2006. We are continuing action to stop this practice.

Late Terminations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has commissioned into the impact of late termination of the foetus; and what effect the result of such research has had on policy.

Caroline Flint: The Department has commissioned no research into the impact of late termination of the foetus. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has, however, published various advice for professionals on abortion (including late gestation abortions), including its evidence-based clinical guideline on The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion.
	It is accepted parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in the law on abortion are made on the basis of free votes. Parliament agreed in 1990 that the legal limit for most abortions should be 24 weeks gestation. The limit remains therefore a matter for Parliament to decide.

Local Improvement Finance Trusts

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the length is of the lease of each local improvement finance trust company.

Liam Byrne: Information is not held centrally on the length of leases held by each individual local improvement finance trust (LIFT) company. Departmental guidance allows for the length of lease period for each LIFT to be up to 30 years. Normally 25 years is the period for the lease, although we are aware of instances where it is up to 30 years.

Major Trauma Centres

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency departments are designated as major trauma centres; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: No accident and emergency departments in England are formally designated as major trauma centres.

Medicine Reviews

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to quality assure the conduct of medicine reviews for (a) babies, (b) young children, (c) over 75-year-olds and (d) people with long-term conditions.

Jane Kennedy: A medicine use review (MUR) service is a nationally specified service within the new contractual framework for community pharmacy, which went live in April 2005 and is underpinned by robust clinical governance arrangements. Where pharmacies choose to provide these services, both the community pharmacist and the premises must be accredited. The purpose of the MUR service is, with the patient's agreement, to improve their knowledge and use of medicines.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) monitor services provided by community pharmacies under the new contractual framework. Directions have been issued to PCTs setting out the requirements for a MUR service.
	A leaflet has also been developed by Medicines Partnership, which provides information to patients about what they can expect from a MUR.

Meningitis

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what hospital treatment protocols there are for meningitis; what such protocols have been issued in the last five years; who is responsible for issuing guidance to hospitals about the best and latest protocols for the treatment of meningitis; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: There are a number of authorities responsible for the issue of guidance to hospitals on the treatment of meningitis. Like all guidance based advice it should be provided using the most up to date evidence. The Department endorses the guidance produced by the meningitis research foundation (MRF) and has funded the MRF to produce a junior doctor handbook.
	The Department has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to provide guidance on the management of meningococcal disease and meningitis in children and adolescents.

Meningitis

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the ability of hospitals in England to treat meningitis; and what steps her Department is taking to improve the treatment of meningitis in hospitals.

Caroline Flint: The Department has funded research to carry out an audit of the hospital management of acute bacterial meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia. This work will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and guidance issued following its publication.

Meningitis

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received about the standard of care in the NHS for patients with suspected cases of meningitis.

Caroline Flint: In 200506, there were no early day motions or adjournment debates on meningitis. In 200506, 15 parliamentary questions were answered that were in relation to meningitis. From August 2005, 67 cases were recorded on the Department's central correspondence system with a mention of meningitis in the reply.

Ministerial Visits

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next plans to visit Coventry.

Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State for Health has accepted an invitation to officially open the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement in Coventry, at a date to be agreed by the Secretary of State's office and the organisation.

MRSA

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the merits of phage therapy as a means of tackling MRSA in hospitals; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The therapeutic use of bacteriophages may be a valuable approach but the safe and controlled use of phage therapy requires more detailed study.

Musculoskeletal Framework

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department will publish the Musculoskeletal Framework.

Liam Byrne: Draft musculoskeletal framework proposals are currently subject to comment from key stakeholders. The outcome of this process will be published later this year.

NHS (Private Providers)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether private providers which carry out NHS work will be subject to the patient involvement schemes which operate in NHS organisations.

Liam Byrne: Strategic health authorities and primary care trusts are responsible for ensuring that section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001the duty to involve and consult patients and the publics complied with when making arrangements for another organisation, person or people to provide services. This includes independent sector providers.

NHS Appointments

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to revise the rules for appointments within health bodies to ensure (a) the process is transparent and (b) those appointed have (i) suitable skills and background experience and (ii) do not have a record of financial mismanagement.

Liam Byrne: The Secretary of State for Health has delegated her appointments function relating to national health service chairs and non-executives to the NHS Appointments Commission.
	Candidates for appointment are measured against detailed appointment and person specifications and are required to declare any potential conflict of interest. These processes are designed to minimise the risk of those without the necessary skills and experience being appointed and to ensure financial probity.
	The NHS Appointments Commission processes are required to meet the highest standards of openness, transparency and probity set by the commissioner for public appointments and are also subject to periodic audit by the commissioner.
	Recruitment of staff in the NHS is a local matter but NHS employers are expected to have fair and transparent recruitment processes as part of good human resources practice.

NHS Tariff

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the NHS tariff for 200607; and what methodology was used for its calculation.

Liam Byrne: The corrected national tariff has now been issued for the national health service to refine its planning for 200607. The methodology used for its calculation is set out in 'Implementing Payment By Results: Technical Guidance 200607: Executive Summary' published on 26 January 2006.

NHS Trusts

Ann Keen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health ifshe will make a statement on her Department's plansto tackle deficits in NHS trusts in the new financial year.

Jane Kennedy: In 200607, the priority will be to restore financial balance in the national health service, although this may not be possible for each and every organisation.
	We are making a number of changes to deal with the financial problems in a minority of organisations, including the following:
	we have increased transparency of reporting so that problems are identified;
	the use of turnaround expertise from the private sector combined with the techniques we have used in the NHS to deliver on other targets such as waiting and accident and emergency. This includes the spread of best practice to all overspending organisations, not just those officially part of the turnaround process; and
	establishing the right culture for financial correction, by:
	changing the incentives, such as: increasing the emphasis in the ratings system on financial management, moving forward with the reform programme of payment by results, and practice based commissioning;
	emphasising the accountability of boards, executives and non-executives, for financial as well as service performance; and
	strengthening the financial challenge function in the Department to ensure that we do not add to the cost burdens.

NHS Trusts

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make an announcement on the approval of foundation status for the next tranche of NHS Trusts; what effects changes to NHS tariffs have had on the timing of the announcement; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Decisions on authorising and announcing NHS trusts as NHS foundation trusts are a matter for Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts).
	Monitor has revised the authorisation dates for 24 wave two applicantsif successfulfrom 1 April and 1 July to 1 May (four mental health trusts), 1 June (six acute trusts) and 1 August (13 acute, and one mental health trust). All 24 trusts have previously received the support from the Secretary of State to go forward to Monitor and will be assessed against the criteria laid down in the Health and Social Care (Community Health Standards) Act 2003.
	East Somerset NHS Trust is being considered for authorisation on 1 June.

Patient Costs (Reimbursement)

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether provision exists for patients not able to receive timely treatment under the NHS and who paid the cost of their own treatment, to receive reimbursement of those costs.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 27 March 2006
	No. If a patient receives private treatment without prior authorisation from the appropriate commissioning authority, they will not be a national health service patient for the purposes of that treatment. The patient would be a private patient and therefore be responsible for meeting the cost of the treatment themselves. The powers of the Secretary of State underlying the NHS are in sections 1 to 5 of the NHS Act 1977 and are not such as to enable the Secretary of State, or those to whom her powers have been delegated, to reimburse charges a patient has incurred for private treatment they have themselves acquired.
	There are powers under European law for NHS commissioners to authorise treatment overseas within the European Union in some circumstances. Prior authorisation before treatment is currently required. There is no right for NHS patients to be treated outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). All patients seeking treatment outside of the EEA must have prior authorisation from their primary care trust before travelling for treatment. The NHS will not reimburse the cost of any treatment outside of the EEA where prior approval was either not sort or granted.

Primary Care Trusts (Non-local Services)

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much was spent in 200506 on the commissioning of non-local services by primary care trusts in strategic health authorities (a) where authorities have been instructed that the sub-regional health economy must balance its budget for 200506 and (b) where authorities have not been so instructed;
	(2)  what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of making regional health economies balance their budgets on commissioning of non-local services by primary care trusts.

Liam Byrne: The Department does not hold this information centrally nor has it commissioned research on the commissioning of non-local services. This is a matter for primary care trusts.

Public Appointments

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2726W, on public appointments, when she now expects that details of those who have been appointed by the NHS Appointments Commission will be made public.

Liam Byrne: The NHS Appointments Commission has given a commitment to publish details of the public appointments it makes on behalf of Secretary of State. This information is now available on the NHS Appointments Commission's website at:
	www.appointments.org.uk/publications.asp

School Nurses

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much her Department spent producing the 2006 edition of the School Nurse: Practice Development Resource Pack; which organisations her Department consulted prior to publication; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will list the main changes between the 2001 and 2006 editions of the School Nurse: Practice Development Resource Pack; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  to whom copies of the 2006 edition of the School Nurse: Practice Development Resource Pack were sent; at what cost; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The Department spent 14,679 producing the School Nurse: Practice Development Resource Pack. The pack was prepared in consultation with the Royal College of Nursing, Community Practitioner and Health Visitor Association, National Children's Bureau, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Sheffield University and the Department for Education and Skills.
	The original School Nurse: Practice Development Resource Pack was published in 2001. It has been updated to reflect the changing policy and health context in which school nurses are now working. It is one product of the work led by the Chief Nursing Officer to promote a modern role for school nurses and to increase the number of school nurses as announced in Choosing Health. The main changes include an update on Government policy including Choosing Health, Every Child Matters, the national service framework for children, young people and maternity and healthy schools. It also contains additional information on today's health priorities, such as obesity, smoking and mental health.
	There has been no distribution of this pack. Copies are available from the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk
	A copy is available in the Library.

Sunsmart Campaign

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources have been made available to the SunSmart campaign for 200607; and what assessment she has made of the merits of increasing funding to the campaign.

Caroline Flint: SunSmart, the national skin cancer and sun protection campaign run by Cancer Research UK is funded by the United Kingdom health Departments. The Department will be writing in the near future to confirm its contribution to the overall amount. All such campaigns are kept under regular review and are assessed in the light of their merits and the overall funding position of the Department.

Sunsmart Campaign

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what issues the SunSmart campaign will be focusing resources during the summer of 2006.

Caroline Flint: Cancer Research UK runs SunSmart, the national skin cancer prevention campaign, on behalf of the United Kingdom health departments. It advises people about how to enjoy the sun safely, to avoid sunburn by using protective screening methods and about the risks of using sun beds for cosmetic purposes.
	In 2006, SunSmart is targeting men and outdoor workers as malignant melanoma rates have quadrupled in men in the last 30 years and outdoor workers are exposed to three to four times more ultraviolet rays than indoor workers.

Tanning Salons

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions her Department has had with the coin-operated tanning salon industry regarding (a) skin cancer awareness and (b) access to such equipment by under 16-year-olds;
	(2)  if she will assess the implications for the incidence of skin cancer of trends in the number of unstaffed coin-operated tanning salons in England; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  whether the Sunsmart campaign has undertaken work to raise awareness of coin-operated tanning equipment use.

Caroline Flint: Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, both natural and artificial, is the most important modifiable risk factor regarding skin cancer. Recent decades have seen significant increases in the number of people in the United Kingdom being diagnosed with this condition which kills around 2,000 people each year.
	The Government are therefore concerned about the apparent increased use of sunbeds for cosmetic purposes, especially by children, including that which takes place in coin operated salons. On our behalf, Cancer Research UK is in discussions with the sun bed industry to review industry practices and the scope for self-regulation. These discussions have covered restrictions on the use of sunbeds by under 16s, the displaying of information about the use of sunbeds, their risks to health especially to children, and specific concerns about unsupervised tanning devices.
	Cancer Research UK also runs SunSmart, the national skin cancer prevention campaign, on behalf of the UK health Departments. It advises people about how to enjoy the sun safely, to avoid sunburn by using protective screening methods and about the risks of using sunbeds for cosmetic purposes. The SunSmart campaign has focused on the dangers of sunbeds generally and the SunSmart website has a dedicated section on this, which includes a recommendation for under 16s never to use sunbeds for cosmetic purposes.

Television Sets

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many television sets are in operation in the Department (a) in total, (b) in Minister's private offices and (c) in each office building in the Department; and how many television licences are held by the Department.

Liam Byrne: The Department of Health has a total of 126 television (TV) sets. The number of TV sets in Ministers' Private Offices is 16. The number in each office building is:
	Skipton House3
	Richmond House111
	New Kings Beam House2
	Market Towers5
	Quarry House5
	The Department does not hold any TV licences.

Tuberculosis

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many incidences of tuberculosis were identified in each primary care trust in London in (a) 200203, (b) 200304, (c) 200405 and (d) 200506; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The data for the calendar years 2002, 2003 and 2004 are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Primary care trusts 2002 2003 2004 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 35 42 43 
			 Barnet 103 102 94 
			 Bexley Care Trust 21 25 29 
			 Brent Teaching 204 217 233 
			 Bromley 24 31 28 
			 Camden 117 106 77 
			 City and Hackney Teaching 144 157 157 
			 Croydon 108 113 119 
			 Ealing 197 187 256 
			 Enfield 80 97 96 
			 Greenwich Teaching 73 72 88 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 82 64 69 
			 Haringey Teaching 139 127 149 
			 Harrow 115 115 99 
			 Havering 19 13 12 
			 Hillingdon 95 116 118 
			 Hounslow 121 98 117 
			 Islington 105 94 89 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 30 51 48 
			 Kingston 18 19 23 
			 Lambeth 159 155 127 
			 Lewisham 91 79 77 
			 Newham 215 246 242 
			 Redbridge 92 110 111 
			 Richmond and Twickenham 14 12 12 
			 Southwark 106 101 133 
			 Sutton and Merton 85 70 85 
			 Tower Hamlets 123 146 118 
			 Waltham Forest 103 99 99 
			 Wandsworth 93 96 96 
			 Westminster 75 89 85 
			 Total 2,986 3,049 3,129 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Since case numbers in some primary care trusts (PCTs) are small, numbers may fluctuate from year-to-year, and thus any apparent 'trends' in the data should be interpreted with caution.
	2. Population estimates for PCTs are only available from 2001 onwards. Data on tuberculosis rates for the years 2001 to 2004 can only be provided.
	3. Data as at 12 April 2006.
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency enhanced tuberculosis surveillance system.

Tuberculosis

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the enhanced tuberculosis surveillance TB incidence rates were for Wandsworth primary care trust for each year since 1998 (a) by rate per 100,000 population and (b) as a mean average over the period; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The data for the calendar years 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 are shown in the table.
	
		Wandsworth primary care trust: tuberculosis case reports and rates 200104
		
			  Cases Rate (per 100,000) Average rate (200104) 
		
		
			 2001 51 18.8  
			 2002 93 34.0 30.7 
			 2003 96 35.0  
			 2004 96 34.7  
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The numbers of tuberculosis cases in some primary care trusts (PCTs) across London are small. In view of this, numbers may fluctuate from year to year, and thus any apparent trends in the data should be interpreted with caution. Any apparent trend or comparison between Wandsworth PCT and other PCTs in London has little validity.
	2. Population estimates for PCTs are only available from 2001 onwards. The Health Protection Agency enhanced tuberculosis surveillance (ETS) system started collecting information on the PCT of residence of reported cases during 2003. Population estimates (Office of National Statistics) by PCT are only available from 2001. Wandsworth PCT rates for 2001 and 2002 have been derived retrospectively based on ONS population estimates.
	Source:
	Health Protection Agency ETS system. Data as at 12 April 2006

Winter Report

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons a year in which there was an influenza epidemic was chosen as the basis for comparison with the winter of 200506 in her Department's Winter Report 200506.

Jane Kennedy: 19992000 was the comparison used in the Winter Report for 200506 because it was the first year that a comparable report was published examining the performance of the national health service during the winter and so it provides the baseline comparison.
	In addition the 10-year NHS Plan was launched in 2000. As this year's report took the theme of reform, comparing performance during winter now with that during 19992000 enabled this year's report to explore the improvements due to reforms outlined in the NHS Plan.

World Cup (Complimentary Tickets)

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complimentary tickets her Department has received for games taking place at the FIFA World cup 2006 in Germany.

Liam Byrne: The Department has not received any complimentary tickets for FIFA World cup games taking place in Germany in 2006. Ministers currently have no plans to attend any of the matches.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Bullying/Sexual Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people in her Department have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed in the last 3 years as a result of a complaint against them of (i) bullying and (ii) sexual harassment being upheld.

Harriet Harman: Three individuals were dismissed for bullying, eight received final written warnings, five resigned before charges could be brought and five cases are ongoing.
	In the two cases of sexual harassment which were upheld in the last 3 years, both respondents resigned before charges could be brought.

Bullying/Sexual Harassment

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how much compensation her Department has paid out in the last 3 years as a result of complaints of (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment being upheld.

Harriet Harman: None.

Electoral Registration

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the advertising budget was for promoting electoral registration in each of the past 10 years for (a) central government and (b) each local authority area.

Bridget Prentice: The information is as follows.
	(a) The Government have not specifically allocated an annual budget for the promotion of electoral registration over the past 10 years. However, the Government have run two campaigns during this period. The first was a Home Office campaign in 2001 jointly to promote the then newly introduced systems of rolling registration and postal voting on demand, as introduced by the RPA 2000. Expenditure figures for this are not available. Recently, the Government, in co-operation with several organisations, lead the 1,824 Collective registration campaign to encourage electors in London to register for the 2006 local elections. Central Government expenditure on the media campaign was 52,618.36.
	(b) This information is not held centrally.

Electoral Registration

John Spellar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many electoral registration officers there are.

Bridget Prentice: There are 391 electoral registration officers in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland the Chief Electoral Officer is responsible for electoral registration.

Grievance Procedures

David Simpson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 18 April 2006, Official Report, column 43W, on grievance procedures, how many grievances have been initiated in her Department involving (a) equality issues and (b) diversity issues in each of the last 3 years; and how many such procedures resulted in (i) disciplinary action and (ii) dismissal.

Harriet Harman: My Department's Equality and Diversity Grievances procedure is applied to all grievances with equality and diversity elements; they are not sub-divided into equality grievances and diversity grievances.
	The total number of equality and diversity grievances investigated over the last 3 years including those stated in my previous reply are as follows:
	
		
			  Number of cases 
		
		
			 200304 16 
			 200405 16 
			 200506 27 
		
	
	Three individuals were dismissed, nine were given final written warnings, seven resigned before charges could be brought, and seven cases are ongoing.